The Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) has awarded a contract to Saab to overhaul the navy’s Sodermanland-class diesel-electric submarine, HMS Sodermanland.

The latest $16.02m order forms part of the letter of intent concerning the Swedish Armed Forces’ underwater potential, which covers the period from 2015 to 2024.

In addition to providing the required measures to assure the submarine’s operational availability, the project involves future maintenance needs, which may lead to extra work during the period.

Saab Business Area Security and Defence Solutions head Gunilla Fransson said: “The order is further proof that Saab’s capabilities in [the] maintenance of submarines and surface vessels are relied upon.

“This work is an important element of Saab’s operations and we are now working on several such maintenance projects.”

Work will be performed between 2014 and 2016 at the company’s sites in Karlskrona and Malmo, with a scheduled redelivery of the vessel planned for mid-2016.

The Sodermanland-class submarines, including HMS Sodermanland and HMS Ostergotland, were relaunched as a new class of vessels during 2003-2004, following the completion of a major refurbishment programme by Kockums.

Powered by a diesel-electric and Stirling AIP system integrating two Hedemora diesel-electric engines and two Kockums v4-275R Sterling AIP units, HMS Sodermanland is equipped with six traditional 533mm torpedo tubes and three 400mm bow torpedo tubes.