Swede Ship contracted for Sweden's new amphibious fire support craft

The new amphibious artillery platform, as part of the Amfbat 2030 plan, will provide indirect fire support for marine regiments. (FMV)

Sweden's Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) has awarded Swede Ship Marine AB a contract to deliver a new class of amphibious artillery platform (artilleriplattformar) for use by the navy's Amphibious Battalion.

Announced on 17 May, the order covers eight vessels designed to provide indirect fire support to coastal units in the ground and naval forces. No contract value has been announced.

Under the Amfibiebataljon 2030 (Amfbat 2030) plan, the Swedish Amphibious Battalion is adopting a new concept of operations oriented towards a more disaggregated but fully networked force with command, weapon, sensor data, and operational components distributed across different platforms. This approach is intended to enable the battalion to assemble combat mass where and when needed to stop or delay the disembarkation of a hostile force within the Swedish archipelago, on the coast, or in key ports.

Amfbat 2030 also includes a major recapitalisation programme, which will see new boats and equipment delivered after 2025. As part of this re-equipment plan, the new amphibious artillery platform is designed to carry a stabilised 120 mm mortar to provide indirect fire support. The new craft will incorporate its own sensorsand fire-control and weapon systems and will also deliver direct fire for self-defence.

The procurement phase for the amphibious artillery platform began in June 2021. Releasing the specification and associated tender documentation to qualified bidders in October that year, the FMV said it was seeking a commercial off-the-shelf/military off-the-shelf solution that, with minor modifications, could meet the Amphibious Battalion's capability requirement.