Nearly two years after the initial announcement, the air defence upgrade of Sweden’s five stealth corvettes of the VISBY class is now materializing.

The small surface combatants – displacing 640 tonnes and measuring 72.7 meters in length, built in three batches between 1995 and 2015 – will be equipped with MBDA UK's CAMM surface-to-air missiles, integrated into the SEA CEPTOR short-range naval air defence system, under a contract valued at approximately €147 million.

The system will be paired with the Lockheed Martin Mk-41 Vertical Launch System in its Extensible Launching System (ExLS) configuration, featuring three 3-cell modules and CAMM missiles housed in quad-pack canisters, for a total of 36 ready-to-launch interceptors. SEA CEPTOR will provide all-around (360°) coverage against a broad spectrum of aerial threats, including saturation attacks, with an engagement range of up to 25 km.

This upgrade is core element of the Mid-Life Upgrade (MLU) program initiated for the VISBY class in 2020. Prior to that, various incremental upgrades had already been applied to the three production variants of the corvette, developed over a prolonged timeline following the commissioning of the lead ship in 2002, which itself underwent multiple modifications, serving effectively as a technology demonstrator.

The refitting works will begin in 2026 and will also involve enhancements to other subsystems. These include the integration of the new Type-47 lightweight torpedoes, the RBS-15 Mk-4 GUNGNIR anti-ship missile, and partial renewal of the onboard sensor suite. The goal is to extend the operational life of these corvettes – assigned to the 3rd and 4th Flotillas – well beyond 2040.

In parallel, development is progressing on the LULEA-class next-generation multirole corvettes. This new class will comprise four 120-meter-long units, with the design phase launched in 2021 and scheduled for completion by 2025. The first two ships are expected to enter service by 2030. Likely, the new class – which marks the Swedish Navy’s return to blue-water combatants since the decommissioning of its frigates in the 1980s – will be equipped with CAMM MR and CAMM ER variants for medium- and extended-range air defence.

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