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The ''Visby'' class is a series of
corvette A corvette is a small warship. It is traditionally the smallest class of vessel considered to be a proper (or " rated") warship. The warship class above the corvette is that of the frigate, while the class below was historically that of the sloo ...
s in use by the
Swedish Navy The Swedish Navy () is the maritime service branch of the Swedish Armed Forces. It is composed of surface and submarine naval units – the Fleet (), formally sometimes referred to as the Royal Navy () – as well as marine units, the Amph ...
. It is the latest class of corvette adopted by the navy after the - and corvettes. Its design emphasizes low visibility
radar cross-section Radar cross-section (RCS), denoted σ, also called radar signature, is a measure of how detectable an object is by radar. A larger RCS indicates that an object is more easily detected. An object reflects a limited amount of radar energy b ...
and
infrared signature Infrared signature, as used by defense scientists and the military, is the appearance of objects to infrared sensors. An infrared signature depends on many factors, including the shape and size of the object, temperature, and emissivity, reflecti ...
, and the class has received widespread international attention because of its capabilities as a
stealth ship A stealth ship is a ship that employs stealth technology construction techniques in an effort to make it harder to detect by one or more of radar, visual, sonar, and infrared methods. These techniques borrow from stealth aircraft technology, alth ...
. The first ship in the class is named after
Visby Visby () is an urban areas in Sweden, urban area in Sweden and the seat of Gotland Municipality in Gotland County on the island of Gotland with 24,330 inhabitants . Visby is also the episcopal see for the Diocese of Visby. The Hanseatic League, ...
, the main city on the island of
Gotland Gotland (; ; ''Gutland'' in Gutnish), also historically spelled Gottland or Gothland (), is Sweden's largest island. It is also a Provinces of Sweden, province/Counties of Sweden, county (Swedish län), Municipalities of Sweden, municipality, a ...
. The ''Visby'' ships are designed by Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) and built by Saab Kockums AB in
Karlskrona Karlskrona (, , ) is a locality and the seat of Karlskrona Municipality, Blekinge County, Sweden with a population of 66,675 in 2018. It is also the capital of Blekinge County. Karlskrona is known as Sweden's only baroque city and is host to ...
. The first ship of the class was launched in 2000, but production then suffered repeated delays. The fifth and final ship was delivered in 2015.


Design

The hull is constructed with a sandwich design consisting of a PVC core with a
carbon fibre Carbon fiber-reinforced polymers (American English), carbon-fibre-reinforced polymers ( Commonwealth English), carbon-fiber-reinforced plastics, carbon-fiber reinforced-thermoplastic (CFRP, CRP, CFRTP), also known as carbon fiber, carbon comp ...
and
vinyl Vinyl may refer to: Chemistry * Polyvinyl chloride (PVC), a particular vinyl polymer * Vinyl cation, a type of carbocation * Vinyl group, a broad class of organic molecules in chemistry * Vinyl polymer, a group of polymers derived from vinyl ...
laminate Simulated flight (using image stack created by μCT scanning) through the length of a knitting needle that consists of laminated wooden layers: the layers can be differentiated by the change of direction of the wood's vessels Shattered windshi ...
(see also the Oceanic-Creations spin-off). There are multiple advantages to using
composite material A composite or composite material (also composition material) is a material which is produced from two or more constituent materials. These constituent materials have notably dissimilar chemical or physical properties and are merged to create a ...
s in ship hulls. Good conductivity and surface flatness mean a low radar signature, while good heat insulation lowers the
infrared signature Infrared signature, as used by defense scientists and the military, is the appearance of objects to infrared sensors. An infrared signature depends on many factors, including the shape and size of the object, temperature, and emissivity, reflecti ...
and increases survivability in case of fire. The composite sandwich used is also non-magnetic, which lowers the magnetic signature. Composites are also very strong for their relative weight, and less weight means a higher top speed and better maneuverability. The composite weighs roughly 50% less than the equivalent strength steel. ''Visby''s angular
tumblehome Tumblehome or tumble home is the narrowing of a Hull (watercraft), hull above the waterline, giving less beam (nautical), beam at the level of the main deck. The opposite of tumblehome is flare (ship), flare. A small amount of tumblehome is nor ...
design reduces its radar signature. Jan Nilsson, one of the designers, told BBC News Online: "We are able to reduce the radar cross-section by 99%. That doesn't mean it's 99% invisible, it means that we have reduced its detection range." The 57 mm cannon barrel can be folded into the turret to reduce its cross-section.


History


''Visby'' ''Generation 1''


Background

Much of the design was based on the experiences learned from the experimental ship . The class was originally designed to be divided into two subcategories where the last ship was optimized for surface combat and 4 others for submarine hunting; however, this was changed due to cutbacks. A helicopter, such as the Agusta Westland A109M selected by Sweden, can land, take off, and refuel on the upper deck. A helicopter hangar was originally planned but was considered to be too cramped and was removed.


Production

The ships took an exceptionally long time from launch to delivery and the construction has been fraught with repeated delays. In 2008, the only weapons system that had been integrated and tested in ''
Visby Visby () is an urban areas in Sweden, urban area in Sweden and the seat of Gotland Municipality in Gotland County on the island of Gotland with 24,330 inhabitants . Visby is also the episcopal see for the Diocese of Visby. The Hanseatic League, ...
'' (K31) was the gun. Finally, on 16 December 2009, the next two of the corvettes, the K32 and the K33, were delivered to the Swedish Navy by the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (known as the FMV, or Försvarets materielverk). The two ships were equipped with underwater and surface/air sensors fully integrated. However, the only weapon that had been integrated and test-fired on the ships was still the Bofors 57 Mk3 gun. It is known as the standard 4 by the FMV. The standard 5 of the class was the one where the mine clearance systems, the helicopter landing capability, the anti-ship missiles and some additional stealth adaptation were implemented. The ''
Visby Visby () is an urban areas in Sweden, urban area in Sweden and the seat of Gotland Municipality in Gotland County on the island of Gotland with 24,330 inhabitants . Visby is also the episcopal see for the Diocese of Visby. The Hanseatic League, ...
'' (K31) was the first of the corvettes to be upgraded to standard 5. On 22 March 2012, the FMV reported that the ship had been modified and that the system would be tested before reentering the Swedish Navy by the end of 2012. Although the design of the ships originally called for the installation of surface-to-air missiles, on 18 September 2008 the Genomförandegruppen cancelled the project to rationalize the procurement of defence materiel for the Swedish defence.


Mid-life upgrade

In January 2021, the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) and Saab signed a contract for the ''Product Definition Phase'' of a mid-life upgrade of the ''Visby'' class. An additional item of the contract involved the ''Product Definition Phase'' of the ''Visby Generation 2'' corvettes. The contract had a value of SEK 190 million. The primary objective of this MLU is to extend its operational capacity and relevance beyond 2040. In that regard, the following aspects were decided: * Modifications of the systems of the ships. * Adding an air defence capability. * Add the capability to operate the RBS 15 Mk3 as new anti-ship missile * Add the capability to operate the Torped 47 (Saab Lightweight Torpedo) In November 2023, the Swedish Navy ordered the CAMM (also known as Sea Ceptor) for the air-defence missiles that it wanted added to the ship. In 2025, the Swedish Navy selected the Extensible Launching System (ExLS) as vertical launching system for the CAMM missiles. This system is provided by
Lockheed Martin The Lockheed Martin Corporation is an American Arms industry, defense and aerospace manufacturer with worldwide interests. It was formed by the merger of Lockheed Corporation with Martin Marietta on March 15, 1995. It is headquartered in North ...
and is based on the Mk41 VLS. Each ExLS is composed of three cells, the same as on the Mk41. Three ExLS will be installed on each ''Visby'' class ship, for a total of 9 cells. Four CAMM missile can be installed in each cell of the ExLS, packaged in quad packs. This leads to a capacity of 36 CAMM missiles per ship. In May 2025, the Swedish Navy announced that the start of the air-defence upgrade of the ships would be for 2026. Saab won the contract for this operation, and it is valued at SEK 1.6 billion.


''Visby Generation 2''


Programme initiation

In January 2021, the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) and Saab signed a contract for the ''Product Definition Phase'' of a mid-life upgrade of the ''Visby'' class. An additional item of the contract involved the ''Product Definition Phase'' of the ''Visby Generation 2'' corvettes. The contract had a value of SEK 190 million. In September 2021, some more information were shared by the FMV about this new generation. One expectation was to use proven systems, and that the corvette had a capacity to evolve, with systems capable to be integrated in a simple way. One operational requirement was that every system and equipment could be maintained in Sweden.


Cancellation

In November 2022, the supreme commander of the Swedish armed forces, General Micael Bydén, published his recommendations for how the armed forces should grow over the coming years at the request of the Swedish government. This included the recommendation that the ''Visby'' Gen 2 corvettes should be equipped with longer-range surface-to-air missiles than those which will be used on the "Visby Gen 1" in order for the ships to be able to act as part of
NATO The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO ; , OTAN), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental organization, intergovernmental Transnationalism, transnational military alliance of 32 Member states of NATO, member s ...
integrated air and missile defences. Further recommendations included modifications to the ships to increase their interoperability with both NATO's standing maritime groups and the Joint Expeditionary Force.


Replacement

In February 2023, following the
2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine On 24 February 2022, , starting the largest and deadliest war in Europe since World War II, in a major escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian War, conflict between the two countries which began in 2014. The fighting has caused hundreds of thou ...
, Sweden decided to reconsider its naval format and to cancel the ''Visby Generation 2''. Its adhesion to NATO and the need for more capable platforms let to the decision to cancel the ship in favour of a clean sheet larger design. As of June 2023, more details of a new class of corvettes, the ''Luleå'' class were shared by the Ministery of Defence. And in 2024, Babcock and Saab began their collaboration on the design of the class.


Units

All systems for the ship ''Uddevalla'' were acquired, but the ship was later cancelled.


Similar ships

* (
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) * (
United Arab Emirates The United Arab Emirates (UAE), or simply the Emirates, is a country in West Asia, in the Middle East, at the eastern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is a Federal monarchy, federal elective monarchy made up of Emirates of the United Arab E ...
) * (
Finland Finland, officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It borders Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of Bothnia to the west and the Gulf of Finland to the south, ...
) * Type 022 missile boat (
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) * Milgem-class corvette (
Turkey Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...
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Norway Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and the archipelago of Svalbard also form part of the Kingdom of ...
) * Independence-class littoral mission vessel (
Singapore Singapore, officially the Republic of Singapore, is an island country and city-state in Southeast Asia. The country's territory comprises one main island, 63 satellite islands and islets, and one outlying islet. It is about one degree ...
)


Gallery

File:K33_HMS_Haernosand_Karlskrona_Marindagen2008.jpg, ''Härnösand'' at
Karlskrona Karlskrona (, , ) is a locality and the seat of Karlskrona Municipality, Blekinge County, Sweden with a population of 66,675 in 2018. It is also the capital of Blekinge County. Karlskrona is known as Sweden's only baroque city and is host to ...
Naval Base. File:HMS_Helsingborg_2.jpg, ''Helsingborg'' visiting her namesake. File:K32 hms helsingborg stockholm 2008-11-16.jpg, ''Helsingborg'' in Stockholm City. File:NATO ships take part in BALTOPS 20 MOD 45167293.jpg, ''Karlstad'' with British Merlin helicopter during BALTOPS 20


References


External links


Official builder's homepage
(as of 2018)
Swedish navy page on the Visby trials

Naval-Technology
- www.naval-technology.com {{Authority control Corvette classes Stealth ships