Saab has made the first delivery of its latest lightweight torpedo system, the “Torped 47,” to the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration.
Intended as the primary weapon system of Swedish submarines and Visby corvettes, the torpedo can now be integrated into helicopters.
Following the delivery, the Torped 47 is expected to complete a final evaluation to verify it fulfills the requirements set by the Royal Swedish Navy.
“The first delivery of our new lightweight torpedo marks an important milestone for the development project, which is one of our largest ever within our business unit Underwater Systems,” Saab Dynamics Head Görgen Johansson said.
“Now the process of commissioning and replacing Sweden’s existing lightweight torpedo with the new one begins, with Saab ensuring that Sweden has a state-of-the-art lightweight torpedo at the forefront of technology.”
Saab’s Lightweight Torpedo in Sweden and Finland
Saab and Stockholm signed the contract for the lightweight torpedo systems in 2016.
In 2020, the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration and the Swedish Armed Forces conducted live firing tests for the torpedo aboard a surface vessel and submarine at Karlskrona.
Alongside Sweden, Finland also selected the torpedoes for the Finnish Navy’s Hamina-class missile fast attack craft.
The Torped 47
The Torpedo 47’s design is tailored for use in the Baltic Sea, an environment with shallow waters, and a complex seabed and topography, according to Saab.
It has a speed of 40 knots (74 kilometers/40 miles per hour) and can travel up to 300 meters (984 feet) underwater.
The torpedo is powered by Pumpjet propulsion and a Lithium-based rechargeable battery. It is guided by digital hydro-acoustic homing with an onboard computer.
