Västergötland-class submarine

HSwMS Västergötland (left)
Class overview
NameVästergötland class
BuildersKockums
Operators
Preceded byNäcken class
Succeeded byGotland class
Subclasses
Planned4
Completed4
Active3
Retired1
General characteristics
TypeSubmarine
Displacement
  • Surfaced: 1,070 t (1,050 long tons; 1,180 short tons)
  • Submerged: 1,150 t (1,130 long tons; 1,270 short tons)
Length48.5 m (159 ft 1 in)
Beam6.1 m (20 ft 0 in)
Draft5.6 m (18 ft 4 in)
Propulsion
  • 2 × Hedmora V12A/15
  • 1 × Jeumont-Schneider electric motor
Speed
  • Surfaced: 11 kn (20 km/h; 13 mph)
  • Submerged: 20 kn (37 km/h; 23 mph)
Complement
  • 18 officers
  • 6 conscripts
Sensors and
processing systems		FAS
Armament
  • 6 × 533mm tubes
  • 3 × 400mm tubes
  • Mines

The Västergötland class of diesel-electric submarines entered service in 1987 in the Swedish Navy allowing the last Draken II class of subs to be retired.

History

The original four ships of the class (Västergötland, Hälsingland, Södermanland, and Östergötland) were built between 1983 and 1988 by Kockums AB. The latter two have undergone comprehensive refits, including the insertion of a new hull section with an air-independent propulsion system equipped with Stirling engines. They have been recommissioned in 2003–2004 as the new Södermanland class.

Västergötland and Hälsingland were put in reserve until November 2005, when they were sold to the Republic of Singapore Navy as the Archer class. They were refitted to Södermanland class standards and received additional climatisation for use in tropical waters, and relaunched in 2009–2010.

Östergötland was decommissioned in 2021, leaving Södermanland as the last remaining ship of the class in Swedish service.[1]

Units

HSwMS Södermanland
Ship name Laid down Launched Commissioned Service Refit Status
Västergötland 10 January 1983 19 July 1986 27 November 1987 1st Submarine flotilla Sold to Republic of Singapore Navy 2005 (deal finished 2008);

Recommissioned as Archer-class submarines

Active
Hälsingland 1 January 1984 31 August 1987 20 October 1988 Active
Södermanland 1985 12 April 1988 21 April 1989 Refitted 2003–2004 to Södermanland class Active
Östergötland 1986 9 December 1988 Decommissioned 2021; In reserve

See also

References

  1. ^ "HMS SÖDERMANLAND" (in Swedish). Retrieved 2023-05-20.

Further reading

  • Darman, Peter, ed. (2004). Twenty-first Century Submarines and Warships. Military Handbooks. Rochester: Grange Books. ISBN 1-84013-678-2.
  • Gardiner, Robert; Chumbley, Stephen; Budzbon, Przemysław, eds. (1995). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1947–1995. Annapolis: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-132-7.
  • Miller, David (1989). Modern Submarines. Combat Arms. New York: Prentice Hall Press. ISBN 0-13-589102-7.