The Swedish Navy's combat power upgrade "Lulea Class" can be used for air defense, anti-ship and anti-submarine, and will be delivered as soon as 2030

After Sweden joined NATO, it changed its naval force-building policy that focused on coastal defense and actively expanded its ocean-going and fleet air defense capabilities. According to reports from foreign military news websites, Sweden has spent 4.3 billion euros (approximately NT$157.6 billion) to purchase four 4,500-ton FDI "Lulea-class" frigates. They not only have air defense, anti-ship and anti-submarine capabilities, but will also be combined with Swedish domestic weapons systems. In the future, they can perform maritime communication line protection, allied escort and joint sea control tasks, becoming an important combat capability of the Swedish Navy.

Swedish military manufacturer Saab announced on the 6th that it has signed a 2 billion Swedish kronor (approximately NT$6.63 billion) contract with the French Naval Group to provide four new ships with weapons control systems, RBS15 anti-ship missiles, light torpedoes, Sea Giraffe 1X "Sea Giraffe" radar, as well as Ceros fire control and EOS 500 optoelectronic system and Trackfire remote-controlled weapon station, and related equipment is expected to be delivered between 2027 and 2034.

According to the military news website "Army Recognition", the Sea Giraffe 1X radar uses active electronically scanned array technology, has a detection range of about 100 kilometers, can track 600 targets at the same time, and is especially capable of detecting drones and low-altitude missiles. In terms of anti-ship firepower, the latest Mk4 version of RBS15 has a range of more than 300 kilometers, but the actual model of the new ship has not yet been announced; in terms of anti-submarine, it is equipped with a 400 mm light torpedo, which can perform operations in the complex shallow water environment of the Baltic Sea.

Compared with the "Wesby-class" patrol ships currently in service in Sweden with a displacement of less than 1,000 tons, the Lulea-class will significantly enhance the fleet's regional air defense and multi-domain combat capabilities. According to the French Ministry of Defense, the four new ships will triple the Swedish Navy's air defense capability and strengthen NATO's integrated air defense and missile defense system. The first one is expected to be delivered in 2030, and the remaining three will be commissioned by 2034.