Saab has secured a 1.6-billion Swedish kronor ($150.4 million) contract from Sweden to integrate MBDA’s Sea Ceptor air defense system into Stockholm’s five Visby-class corvettes.
The initiative aims to extend the ships’ air defense capabilities to engage airborne threats at longer ranges and protect a broader area than their current systems.
Work on modifying the corvettes and installing the Sea Ceptor system is scheduled to begin in early 2026.
“This modification strengthens both Sweden’s and NATO’s air and missile defense by increasing the Swedish Armed Forces’ operational capability and ability to operate across the entire conflict spectrum,” stated Mats Wicksell, Head of Saab’s business area Kockums.
“With the air defense system on board, the Visby-class corvettes will continue to be a vital platform for many years to come,” added Wicksell.
MBDA’s Sea Ceptor
The Sea Ceptor is a naval air defense system that integrates the Common Anti-air Modular Missile (CAMM) to intercept aerial threats.
CAMM features an active radar seeker that operates in all weather conditions.
The missile is 3.2 meters (10.5 feet) long, weighs 99 kilograms (218 pounds), has a diameter of 166 millimeters (6.5 inches), and can engage targets up to 25 kilometers (15.5 miles) away at supersonic speed.
It features vertical launch capabilities, can target multiple simultaneous threats, and can be integrated into new and existing naval combat systems.
Sweden’s Visby-Class Corvettes
Saab’s Visby-class corvette is a surface combat vessel supporting multiple mission types, including anti-surface warfare, anti-submarine warfare, mine countermeasures, and patrol duties.
It has a carbon fiber composite hull that reduces overall weight, contributing to stealth and increased payload capacity.
It measures 72.7 meters (238 feet) in length and can carry a crew of 43 personnel.
The propulsion system combines diesel engines and gas turbines, enabling a cruising speed of 5 knots (17 miles/28 kilometers per hour) and a maximum speed exceeding 35 knots (40 miles/65 kilometers per hour).
