Saab has embarked on developing a new large underwater drone, signaling its growing commitment to autonomous maritime technologies. According to the company, the platform is being designed to carry out a wide spectrum of missions, including intelligence gathering, anti-submarine warfare support, and protection of undersea infrastructure. Unlike smaller underwater drones, this system will be capable of long-duration, deep-sea operations, offering navies persistent surveillance capacity at a fraction of the cost of traditional submarines. The drone will use a modular payload architecture, enabling operators to swap mission equipment based on operational requirements. Saab officials also note its importance in protecting critical subsea assets such as energy pipelines and global communication cables, which have become frequent targets of sabotage and espionage attempts. With Sweden preparing to strengthen ties through NATO, the program aligns with wider alliance efforts to expand underwater dominance. Maritime experts emphasize that as global competition in the undersea domain intensifies, large autonomous drones can act as force multipliers, conducting surveillance, tracking submarines, and even deploying countermeasures. Though exact specifications are yet to be revealed, industry observers expect it to have significant range and stealth characteristics. Saab’s move reflects a broader European defense trend of investing in uncrewed underwater systems to maintain security, deter adversaries, and safeguard international sea lanes.
