More details emerge on Saab-Babcock frigate offer to Sweden

Saab and Babcock have issued fresh details on their joint bid to supply Sweden’s next generation of surface combatants, setting out how their proposed Arrowhead 120 frigate would be configured for the Swedish Navy’s future operational requirements.

In a joint statement, Saab and Babcock said the Arrowhead 120 (AH120) had been developed specifically to meet Sweden’s emerging maritime needs, and described the partnership as combining two “sovereign defence companies” and their supply chains.

The firms said the project would support Sweden’s national defence and reinforce the wider defence relationship between Sweden and the United Kingdom.

“The Arrowhead 120 (AH120) is an advanced multi mission frigate jointly developed by Babcock and Saab to meet the future operational needs of the Swedish Navy,” the spokesperson said, adding that the partnership was intended to contribute to Sweden’s defence and security while supporting the long-standing bilateral relationship.

The companies said the AH120 design integrates what they described as a highly capable combat management suite, with Saab taking the lead on combat system elements. Saab cited its recent international work on Singapore’s Multi Role Combat Vessel programme and Poland’s SIGINT ship as relevant experience, and said it would provide fully equipped composite superstructures as well as weapons including anti-ship missiles and lightweight torpedoes. The spokesperson noted Saab has integrated combat systems for more than 20 navies globally.

Babcock, meanwhile, said it would provide design, build and integration expertise drawn from its Arrowhead 140 programme, which forms the basis of the Royal Navy’s Type 31 frigate and has also been selected for programmes in Poland and Indonesia. The companies described this as evidence the wider Arrowhead family has already proven itself as an export-ready design.

The AH120 is described as a 124-metre frigate with a steel hull and lightweight composite superstructure, with a displacement of around 4,650 tonnes. Saab and Babcock said the vessel would be optimised for Swedish territorial defence in the Baltic Sea and the High North, with a focus on endurance, survivability and manoeuvrability.

“The partnership brings together a proven, export-ready design tailored to Sweden’s needs,” the spokesperson said. “It is adaptable and provides strong potential for international adoption.”

In their statement, the companies also claimed the frigate would be equipped to counter sophisticated air threats, including ballistic missiles, and would offer defensive capability against manned and unmanned surface and underwater threats, reflecting the evolving threat environment faced by Nordic and Baltic states.

Sweden is seeking to acquire four new frigates under a programme expected to be worth tens of billions of kronor, with a number of European shipbuilders understood to be competing. The Saab-Babcock offer is one of several bids, alongside proposals linked to France’s Naval Group and Spain’s Navantia.