Västergötland-class
Summary
| Origin country | 🇸🇪 Sweden |
| Category | Submarine |
| Subtype | Attack submarine |
| Manufacturer | Kockums |
| Year commissioned | 1987 |
| Units | VÄSTERGÖTLAND, HÄLSINGLAND, SÖDERMANLAND, ÖSTERGÖTLAND |
Description
The Västergötland-class submarine is a Swedish diesel-electric submarine class developed and produced by the Kockums shipyard. Launched between the late 1980s and early 1990s, this class was primarily intended for anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare within Swedish territorial waters. The submarines are around 48.5 meters in length, with a beam of 4.6 meters and a draught of 4.1 meters.
These submarines use Stirling air-independent propulsion (AIP) systems, in addition to traditional diesel-electric engines, granting them a significantly longer underwater endurance compared to purely diesel-electric submarines. The Stirling engines allow for stealthier operations, as they don't require the submarine to surface as frequently to recharge batteries, making them less vulnerable to detection.
Armament for the Västergötland class typically includes torpedoes for anti-submarine warfare, generally the Type 613 and more modern Type 43 torpedoes. Some units were also retrofitted to launch anti-ship missiles.
The Västergötland class has been known for its relatively quiet operation, agility in shallow waters, and advanced automation features that reduce crew workload. They have been gradually phased out of the Swedish Navy and replaced by the more advanced Gotland-class and A26-class submarines. Some of the decommissioned units were sold to foreign navies after being upgraded.
Technical specifications
| Västergötland | |
|---|---|
| Displacement | 1070 tons |
| Displacement submerged | 1140 tons |
| Crew | 24 members |
| Width | 6.1 m (20.0 ft) |
| Length | 48.5 m (159.1 ft) |
| Max. depth | 300 m (984.3 ft) |
| Propulsion | 2 Hedemora V 12 diesels with a power of 1,800 hp each - 1 propeller |
| Armament | 6 533mm TLTs (12 torpedoes) + 3 400mm TLTs (6 torpedoes) |
| Maximum speed | 11 knots |
| Max. speed submerged | 20 knots |
Photo of Västergötland class
