Västergötland-class submarine

HSwMS Västergötland (left)
Class overview
Name	Västergötland class
Builders	Kockums
Operators	Swedish Navy Republic of Singapore Navy
Preceded by	Näcken class
Succeeded by	Gotland class
Subclasses	Södermanland class Archer class
Planned	4
Completed	4
Active	3
Retired	1
General characteristics
Type	Submarine
Displacement	Surfaced: 1,070 t (1,050 long tons; 1,180 short tons) Submerged: 1,150 t (1,130 long tons; 1,270 short tons)
Length	48.5 m (159 ft 1 in)
Beam	6.1 m (20 ft 0 in)
Draft	5.6 m (18 ft 4 in)
Propulsion	2 × Hedmora V12A/15 1 × Jeumont-Schneider electric motor
Speed	Surfaced: 11 kn (20 km/h; 13 mph) Submerged: 20 kn (37 km/h; 23 mph)
Complement	18 officers 6 conscripts
Sensors and processing systems	FAS
Armament	6 × 533mm tubes 3 × 400mm tubes Mines

The Västergötland class of diesel-electric submarines entered service in 1987 in the Swedish Navy allowing the last Draken II class of subs to be retired.

History

The original four ships of the class (Västergötland, Hälsingland, Södermanland, and Östergötland) were built between 1983 and 1988 by Kockums AB. The latter two have undergone comprehensive refits, including the insertion of a new hull section with an air-independent propulsion system equipped with Stirling engines. They have been recommissioned in 2003–2004 as the new Södermanland class.

Västergötland and Hälsingland were put in reserve until November 2005, when they were sold to the Republic of Singapore Navy as the Archer class. They were refitted to Södermanland class standards and received additional climatisation for use in tropical waters, and relaunched in 2009–2010.

Östergötland was decommissioned in 2021, leaving Södermanland as the last remaining ship of the class in Swedish service.

Units

HSwMS Södermanland

Ship name	Laid down	Launched	Commissioned	Service	Refit	Status
Västergötland	10 January 1983	19 July 1986	27 November 1987	1st Submarine flotilla	Sold to Republic of Singapore Navy 2005 (deal finished 2008); Recommissioned as Archer-class submarines	Active
Hälsingland	1 January 1984	31 August 1987	20 October 1988			Active
Södermanland	1985	12 April 1988	21 April 1989		Refitted 2003–2004 to Södermanland class	Active
Östergötland	1986	9 December 1988				Decommissioned 2021; In reserve

See also

• List of submarine classes in service
• Collins-class submarine - enlarged versions of Västergötland used by the Royal Australian Navy
• List of active Swedish Navy ships

Further reading

• Darman, Peter, ed. (2004). Twenty-first Century Submarines and Warships. Military Handbooks. Rochester: Grange Books. ISBN 1-84013-678-2.
• Gardiner, Robert; Chumbley, Stephen; Budzbon, Przemysław, eds. (1995). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1947–1995. Annapolis: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-132-7.
• Miller, David (1989). Modern Submarines. Combat Arms. New York: Prentice Hall Press. ISBN 0-13-589102-7.