Gotland class submarine

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HMS Gotland
Class overview
Builders: Kockums
Operators: Naval flag of Sweden Swedish Navy
Preceded by: Västergötland
Succeeded by: Södermanland
Planned: 3
Completed: 3
Active: HMS Gotland
HMS Uppland
HMS Halland
General characteristics
Displacement: 1494 tonnes (Surfaced)
1599 tonnes (Submerged)
Length: 60.4m
Beam: 6.2m
Draft: 5.6m
Propulsion: 2 × Diesel-electric MTU engines
2 × Kockums v4-275R Sterling AIP units
Speed: 11 knots surfaced
20 knots Submerged
Complement: 18 Officers
6 Conscripts
Sensors and
processing systems:
CSU 90-2 Integrated sonar sensor suite
Armament: 4 × 533mm Tubes
2 × 400mm Tubes

The Gotland class attack submarines of the Swedish Navy are modern diesel-electric submarines. They are the first submarines in the world to feature a Stirling engine air-independent propulsion (AIP) system, which extends their underwater endurance from a few days to two weeks.[1] This capability has previously only been available with nuclear powered submarines.


Contents

[edit] Units

Ship name Laid down Launched Commissioned Service Status
HMS Gotland 10 October 1992 2 February 1995 1996 1st Submarine Flotilla Active
HMS Uppland 14 January 1994 8 February 1995 1996 1st Submarine Flotilla Active
HMS Halland 21 October 1994 27th September 1996 1996 1st Submarine Flotilla Active

[edit] Lease to the United States Navy

In 2004, the Swedish government received a request from the United States of America to lease HMS Gotland – Swedish-flagged, commanded and manned, for a duration one year for use in anti-submarine warfare exercises. The Swedish government granted this request in October 2004, with both navies signing a memorandum of understanding on March 21, 2005.[2][3] The lease was extended for another 12 months in 2006.[4][5][6]

HMS Gotland managed to snap several pictures of the USS Ronald Reagan during a wargaming exercise in the Pacific Ocean, effectively "sinking" the aircraft carrier.[7] The exercise was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the US Fleet against diesel-electric submarines, which some have noted as severely lacking.[8][9]

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ The Gotland class submarine - submerged several weeks. Kockums. Retrieved on 2008-04-06.
  2. ^ US Navy Leasing Swedish Gotland-Class Submarine. Deagel. Retrieved on 2004-11-05.
  3. ^ United States Navy (2005-03-23). "U.S., Swedish Navies Sign Agreement to Bilaterally Train on State-of-the-Art Sub". Press release.
  4. ^ "US Navy to continue hunt for Swedish sub", The Local, 2006-04-18. Retrieved on 2006-07-21. 
  5. ^ Kockums AB (2006-06-13). "Gotland extends US stay for another year". Press release. Retrieved on 2006-07-21.
  6. ^ Kockums AB (2007-05-09). "HMS Gotland’s Stirling propulsion system basis of success in the USA". Press release.
  7. ^ "Pentagon: New Class Of Silent Submarines Poses Threat", KNBC, 2006-10-19. Retrieved on 2006-07-21. 
  8. ^ Polmar, Norman (March 2006). "Back to the Future". U.S. Naval Institute Proceedings 132 (3): 22–23. 0041-798X. 
  9. ^ US Navy Struggles to Recapture, Keep ASW Proficiency. The Nav Log. Retrieved on 2008-04-06.