Swedish Navy Submarines Can Launch Two Torpedoes At The Same Time From A Single Tube

The Gotland Class submarine has two torpedo tubes dedicated to lightweight torpedoes. Each tube can launch two simultaneously. Up to eight torpedoes can be guided at once. H I Sutton (insert Swedish Armed Forces)

Forbes: Swedish Navy Submarines Have A Unique Secret Weapon

Thanks to trials with the U.S. Navy, Sweden’s submarines are famous for being stealthy. This is largely due to their Air-Independent Power (AIP), which allows them to stay submerged for much longer. It is not unique, however, as other countries now operate AIP submarines.

But Swedish Navy submarines have another capability that is unique. As well as regular torpedoes, they carry special lightweight ones. And this is where it gets secretive: they can launch two at the same time from a single tube.

That Swedish submarines use lightweight torpedoes is well documented. The double-tap capability is not. It is known about in some corners of the defense community, but like many topics in underwater warfare it is talked about in hushed tones. Slowly word of this capability has crept out, particularly in Sweden, but it is still virtually unknown. And some details of the capability are still secret.

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WNU Editor: Swedish ingenuity and engineering is always surprising me.

Sweden’s Stealthy Submarine Is Now Even Quieter

The upgraded submarine is slightly longer than the original. H I Sutton (Photo: Saab)

Forbes: Sweden’s Famously Stealthy Submarine Is Now Even Quieter

When Sweden loaned one of its AIP (Air Independent Power) submarines to the U.S. Navy, it made waves. HMS Gotland operated out of San Diego for over 2 years in the late 2000s, reputably ‘sinking’ the carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76) in an exercise. It wasn’t fast, but it was quiet, which is a valuable quality in underwater warfare. Now that submarine has been upgraded with an even stealthier propulsion system.

A cornerstone of Gotland's effectiveness in exercises with the U.S. Navy was its AIP propulsion. Indeed it was a major factor in why the Navy wanted to exercise against this specific boat. AIP meant that it could stay submerged for much longer than other non-nuclear boats.

Today the AIP is a generation newer than when the U.S. Navy faced her. Gotland was upgraded by Saab in 2018 and a second of the class, HMS Uppland, is nearly ready for delivery.

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WNU Editor:  It should also be mentioned that this sub does not run on nuclear power.

Sweden Hides Its Warships In Vast Underground Bunker Amid Russia Fears

Swedish Visby-class corvette HSwMS Helsingborg. Wikipedia

The Guardian: Swedish navy returns to vast underground HQ amid Russia fears

Cavernous docks can shelter warships, with miles of tunnels, offices, and a hospital

Sweden’s navy HQ is returning to a vast underground cold war fortress designed to withstand a nuclear attack, in what has been seen as a defensive move against a resurgent Russia.

After a 25-year absence, the navy will once again be commanded from beneath billions of tonnes of granite as the country strives to build up its defences in response to the perceived threat from Moscow.

The top secret naval base on Muskö, about 25 miles (40km) from Stockholm, resembles a cross between Tracy Island from Thunderbirds and the film set of You Only Live Twice, where James Bond grappled with arch villain Ernst Blofeld in his headquarters beneath a volcano.

Completed in 1969, it boasts cavernous underground docks that can shelter warships, with miles of tunnels, offices and a hospital.

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Update: Sweden hides warships in vast underground bunker amid growing fears of threat from Russia (Express)

WNU Editor: Here are some good pictures on what is inside this base .... Sweden’s secretive underground bunker hiding warships revealed – PICTURES (Express).

Swedish Military Staff Love To Surf For Porn

Swedish soldiers in Afghanistan

Swedish Military Staff Surf Porn Daily: Report -- The Local

Employees of the Swedish Armed Forces (Försvarsmakten) have surfed on porn sites several thousand times on personnel computers over the last three years, according to a report by the country's national television broadcaster on Friday.

Logs kept by the Armed Forces of website traffic revealed that users visited porn sites nearly every day, according to a news report by Sveriges Television (SVT), which reviewed the logs personally.

"This is unacceptable, of course," Per-Olof Stålesjö, human resources director of the armed forces, told news agency TT on Friday.

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My Comment: I guess some soldiers/bureaucrats have a lot of time on their hands.