![]() ![]() In 2004, the Swedish government received a request from the United States to lease HSwMS Gotland – Swedish-flagged, commanded and manned, for a duration of one year for use in antisubmarine warfare exercises. HSwMS Gotland transits through San Diego Harbor with the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan following close behind during the "Sea and Air Parade" held as part of Fleet Week San Diego 2005. She also "defeated" an American SSN, the USS Houston. There, she reportedly won a victory in a mock "duel" with Spanish naval units, and then the same in similar duel against a French SSN, a nuclear-powered attack submarine. In early November the same year, she participated in a NATO "blue-water" exercise in the Atlantic. Allegedly, there she remained undetected while still recording many of her friendly adversaries, attracting interest from the participating countries. ![]() Drawing of the ships in the classĪfter being refitted and upgraded to sustain the higher temperatures of tropical water, HSwMS Halland took part in a multi-national exercise in the Mediterranean from September 16, 2000. Combined with the near-silent operation of the Stirling generator and slow-turning propeller to prevent cavitation, the boats are very difficult to detect under water, especially in their normal area of operations, the Baltic Sea. Various hull coatings reduce active sonar response, and the mast is coated with radar-absorbent material. Its magnetic signature is counteracted by 27 independent electromagnets, short circuiting extremely low frequency (ELF) electrical fields. All shipboard machinery is isolated and mounted on rubber dampeners to reduce vibrations and noises a hydrodynamic hull design reduces noise, infrared signature, and active sonar response. The class has many features that enhance stealth, helping it to remain undetected. Ship automation and computerized steering allow a single operator to steer the submarine in depth and course, which also results in a smaller crew complement, leading to good accommodation standards and low operating costs. The X rudder provides four control surfaces, along with two mounted on the sail, which enables sharp turns and the ability to operate very close to the seabed. Kockums touts extreme maneuverability for this class due to the hull design and a well-placed X rudder. The class is characterized by its low acoustic signatures, extreme shock resistance, and a competent combat system. Submerged endurance is dependent on the amount of liquid oxygen stored on-board and is described as "weeks". A Stirling engine is particularly well suited for a submarine because the engine is nearly silent and can use the surrounding sea water as a heat sink to increase efficiency. While submerged, the Kockums-built Stirling engine AIP system is used to drive a 75- kilowatt (101 shp) generator for either propulsion or charging the batteries. On the water surface, the submarine is powered by two sets of MTU engines. This capability had previously only been available with nuclear-powered submarines.Īs of 2008, the Gotland-class attack submarine is one of the most modern submarines of the Swedish Navy in service, mainly designed for submarine missions such as antiship/ antisubmarine warfare, collecting of intelligence ( communications intelligence (COMINT), electronic signals intelligence (ELINT)), forward surveillance, special operations, and mine-laying tasks. 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 weeks. The Gotland-class submarines of the Swedish Navy are modern diesel-electric submarines, which were designed and built by the Kockums shipyard in Sweden. Submerged: 20 knots (37 km/h) on batteries 5 knots (9.3 km/h) on AIP. ![]()
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