The Göteborg-class corvette HSwMS Gävle was handed over to the Swedish Navy’s 4th Flotilla on May 4 after a Mid-Life Upgrade. The upgrade includes several new systems that all-in-all strengthens the navy’s capability in combat under water, among other areas.
“It is a do over and modernisation of everything on board: She will have the same hull, but more or less all the systems on the inside are new”
Johan Edelsvärd, Project Manager for the Mid-Life Upgrade of HMS Gävle at FMV
The modernisation has been carried out at Saab’s shipyard in Karlskrona and is the largest change the ship has gone through during her lifetime. In parallel, her sister-ship HSwMS Sundsvall is going through the same modifications and will be delivered in 2022.
“The Flotilla welcomes HSwMS Gävle and her crew back to service. The ship will now be able to contribute to the navy’s ongoing maritime surveillance tasaks. The ship and crew and will play an important part in the Navy’s active defence“.
Jon Wikingsson, Chief of the Swedish Navy’s 4th Flotilla
Four Göteborg-class corvettes were delivered to the Swedish Navy between 1990 and 1993. Two of these, HSwMS Göteborg and HSwMS Kalmar, have been decommissioned since 2008, while HSwMS Sundsvall is currently undergoing the same mid-life modification as HSwMS Gävle. After modernization, the two ships will be known as Gävle-class.
The goal of modernization is for the vessels to better interact directly and indirectly with the other systems and subsystems of the Swedish armed forces. Another stated direction has been to maintain the ship’s ability for submarine warfare.
The upgrade program includes a number of new systems. According to our Swedish source, it consists in the following:
- replacement of the current SESYM CMS to a new advanced CMS
- replacement of Ericsson Sea Giraffe 150 to Sea Giraffe AMB
- upgrade of Thales TSM (VDS) sonar system
- refitting of passive sonar system (i.e. part of the Hydra system)
- replacement of both external and internal communication systems
- refitting of the bridge including installation of new navigation equipment and sensors
- refitting of the Main Machinery Control Room including new power distribution system, ship maneuvers system
- larger generic overhaul of all systems and facilities onboard
- a new Bofors 57 mm Mk IIIB naval gun
- new torpedo handling system
Mid-life modification means that the vessel receives an estimated service life that extends at least six years after delivery.
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