Saab Wins $202M Naval Group Subcontract to Arm Sweden’s Four FDI Frigates

French shipbuilder Naval Group has awarded Sweden’s Saab a subcontract worth roughly SEK 2 billion (about $202 million) to supply weapon-control systems, weapons and sensors for four FDI-class frigates under construction for the Swedish Navy.

What the contract covers

Saab’s package includes the RBS 15 anti-ship missile, the Saab Lightweight Torpedo, the Trackfire remote weapon station and the Sea Giraffe 1X lightweight multi-mission surveillance radar. It also covers a weapon control system, the Ceros fire-control director and the EOS 500 electro-optical sensor.

Mats Wicksell, head of Saab’s Naval business area, said the company is “proud to equip Swedish ships with our cutting-edge products,” adding that the program will let the Swedish Navy “detect, deter and respond to threats above and below the surface.” Deliveries under the contract run from 2027 to 2034.

The Luleå class and the FDI program

Sweden selected the FDI design in May 2026 and, on August 31, signed a contract with Naval Group worth about SEK 47 billion (roughly $4.8 billion) for four FDI frigates. The ships will form the Swedish Navy’s new Luleå class.

The French Navy’s FDI class measures 122 meters and displaces around 4,500 tons, accommodating more than 125 sailors and operating a rotary-wing aircraft such as the NH90 alongside an uncrewed aerial system. Twin MTU 16V 8000 M91L engines produce a combined 43,000 horsepower, giving the ship a speed above 26 knots, a range of 5,000 nautical miles and endurance of up to 45 days deployed.

Why it matters in the Baltic

The Luleå class is meant to strengthen Sweden’s maritime and air defense in the Baltic Sea following its 2024 NATO accession. Saab’s share is a subcontract with Naval Group rather than a direct agreement with the Swedish government, meaning Naval Group remains the prime integrator while the weapons and sensor package stays Swedish in origin.

Naval Group’s Setis combat management system will tie together the ship’s digital communications, navigation and electronic-warfare functions, into which Saab’s RBS 15, torpedo and radar package will be integrated. Armament also includes surface-to-air missiles, lightweight torpedoes, and 57mm and 40mm naval guns.

What it means

The deal is a concrete example of French-Swedish naval-industrial cooperation; the same FDI design has already been sold to Greece, showing the platform can be customized with different sensor and weapon packages per customer navy. For Turkish observers, this “common hull, country-specific subsystem” model echoes an approach also pursued in export-oriented programs such as MILGEM and the İstanbul-class frigates.

The 2027-2034 delivery schedule means the program will remain a marker to watch for Swedish-French naval-industrial ties over the coming decade.

Sources

• The Defense Post, “Saab Wins $202M Contract to Equip Sweden’s New FDI Frigates”, November 10, 2026, thedefensepost.com — used for contract value, scope and ship specifications.
• Naval News, “Saab receives order to equip Sweden’s new frigates”, navalnews.com — used for the Saab executive quote and delivery schedule.
• Defence Industry Europe, “Saab to equip Sweden’s four FDI frigates with RBS15 missiles, torpedoes and Sea Giraffe 1X radar”, defence-industry.eu — used for the system list.