Saab, FMV and Swedish Armed Forces launch large uncrewed underwater vehicle demonstrator

Saab, the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) and the Swedish Armed Forces have developed, built and launched a demonstrator of a Large Uncrewed Underwater Vehicle (LUUV), Saab said in a press release on 16 October 2026.

The company said the first phase is complete after successful sea trials, and that the next phase is expected to focus on more advanced capabilities. The project is now led by FMV in cooperation with the Armed Forces and Saab.

Saab LUUV Demonstrator Launched Less Than a Year After Contract Award

“This project demonstrates how new technologies can be rapidly translated into practical operational value,” said Mats Wicksell, head of Saab’s business area Naval. He said the vehicle can contribute to increased endurance, enhanced situational awareness and strengthened underwater capabilities.

Saab said the demonstrator was developed “at pace and according to plan” and went from concept to a fully functional vehicle. The release does not give the vehicle’s dimensions, endurance, payload or the value of the contract, and it does not say how many vehicles were built.

What Is a Large Uncrewed Underwater Vehicle?

An uncrewed underwater vehicle is a craft that operates below the surface without people on board. Saab said the LUUV demonstrator was built to support the development and evaluation of future underwater capabilities and to operate alongside existing naval platforms, such as submarines.

Because Saab has not published dimensions, it is not possible to say how large “large” is in this case. The company also did not describe what sensors or equipment the vehicle carried during sea trials.

Autonomous Ocean Core and Saab’s Software-Centric Approach

Saab credited the pace of the work to its software-centric approach and to the integration of Autonomous Ocean Core, its autonomous control system that gives surface and subsurface vehicles autonomous capabilities. The company said this, combined with Swedish expertise in submarine design and sensor integration, allowed the project to move quickly from concept to sea trials.

The results will support continued development of software, sensors and autonomous functions, Saab said, and will also feed into future product development.

LUUV First Phase and Next Phase Compared

The press release separates the work done so far from what comes next. Only the first phase has been completed, and the second is described as expected rather than contracted.

FMV Now Leads the LUUV Project

The LUUV project builds on Saab’s earlier investments and work in autonomous underwater systems and is now led by FMV in cooperation with the Swedish Armed Forces and Saab, the company said. It provides a basis for Swedish authorities’ decisions on the future acquisition and operational use of autonomous underwater systems.

No acquisition decision has been announced. The demonstrator is a development step, not a production order. That FMV, the state materiel agency, now leads the project suggests the work is moving from a supplier-driven build to a customer-led evaluation. That reading is analysis, not a statement from Saab or FMV.

Saab Company Profile

What a LUUV Alongside Swedish Submarines Could Mean

Saab said the demonstrator is meant to enable operations alongside existing naval platforms such as submarines. A large uncrewed vehicle working with a crewed submarine could, in principle, extend sensing or endurance without putting more people at risk. That is analysis, and the release does not describe any such mission.

Sweden is not the only navy testing large uncrewed underwater vehicles, but Saab’s release makes no comparison with other programmes, so none is drawn here.

LUUV FAQ

What is the LUUV?

The LUUV is a Large Uncrewed Underwater Vehicle demonstrator developed, built and launched by Saab, FMV and the Swedish Armed Forces, according to Saab.

Who is building the LUUV?

Saab developed and built the demonstrator together with FMV and the Swedish Armed Forces. The project is now led by FMV in cooperation with the Armed Forces and Saab.

Has Sweden ordered LUUVs for service?

No order has been announced. Saab described a demonstrator that completed its first phase after sea trials. The project is meant to support later decisions on acquisition and operational use.

What is Autonomous Ocean Core?

Saab describes it as its autonomous control system, which gives surface and subsurface vehicles autonomous capabilities. Saab said it was integrated into the LUUV.

How big is the LUUV and what did it cost?

Neither figure has been published. The press release gives no dimensions, endurance, payload or contract value.