The SAAB Blekinge-class (A26) submarine is billed as the world's first fifth-generation battle submarine, incorporating a suite of innovative technologies that redefine undersea warfare.

It offers advanced stealth features, exceptional intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities, and multi-domain operations, including sea, air, and information warfare domains.

A pivotal feature is its Stirling Air-Independent Propulsion (AIP) system, allowing it to remain submerged for weeks, far surpassing traditional diesel-electric submarines in endurance without surfacing frequently.

The A26's modular design supports weapon and mission flexibility, including deployment of unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs) and special operations divers, enhancing seabed warfare and independent or cooperative autonomous operations with ocean drones.

The submarine's stealth is achieved through minimized acoustic, magnetic, hydrodynamic, and radar signatures using advanced hull geometries, radar-absorbing coatings, and electronic degaussing systems. Its hull is made from special steels, optimised for durability and shock resistance, capable of withstanding underwater explosions.

Although it does not use titanium alloys unique to some Russian submarines, SAAB's technologies contribute to making the A26 exceptionally quiet and difficult to detect even in sonar-rich environments like the Baltic Sea.

The sonar evasion is supplemented by a "GHOST" (Genuine Holistic Stealth) technology approach that ensures low signature across many detectability parameters. These features facilitate covert intelligence gathering and long-endurance presence in strategic maritime chokepoints.

Equipped according to NATO interoperability standards for the Swedish Navy, the A26 hosts a versatile weapons suite including wire-guided torpedoes, long-range strike systems, and seabed warfare capabilities. Its modular bays allow rapid reconfiguration and retrofitting to incorporate future technological breakthroughs in stealth, navigation, combat systems, and communications.

The submarine’s multi-mission portal allows deployment and recovery of divers, manned mini-submersibles, UUVs, and swimmer delivery vehicles, enabling special operations and complex undersea missions.

Delivery of the A26 Blekinge-class is planned around 2031 and 2033, reflecting delays from initial forecasts of 2027-2028. Despite this, the timelines remain competitive compared to other major naval powers’ next-generation submarines, such as the U.S. Navy’s nuclear-powered subs expected around 2040.

The A26 represents a strategic shift in submarine warfare towards integrated hybrid technologies that emphasise stealth, multi-domain intelligence fusion, sustainable underwater endurance, and autonomous operational capabilities, positioning it as a future-proof platform fit for complex maritime environments.

SAAB's A26 is a revolutionary submarine blending superior stealth, flexible mission capability, advanced propulsion, and autonomous undersea assets, making it a true fifth-generation vessel designed to dominate current and emerging naval warfare theatres.

It stands as a strong intelligence platform capable of influencing sea, air, and information operations seamlessly across multiple conflict domains.​

Agencies