Defence and security company Saab has selected the Polish Nauta Shiprepair Yard based in Gdynia, a part of the Polish Armaments Group (PGZ), to build the ship platform for the special purpose Signal Intelligence (SIGINT) vessel for the Swedish Navy.

11 April 2017 Saab communicated that Saab and the Swedish Defence Material Administration (FMV) had signed a contract for design, construction and delivery of a Special Purpose Ship. The order covers the period 2017–2020, with a total value of SEK730 million.

The ship platform will be constructed, launched and tested at the Polish shipyard Nauta in Gdynia. The ship will then sail to Saab’s shipyard in Karlskrona, Sweden for fitting of the signal intelligence equipment and final Sea Acceptance Test (SAT). Nauta has a long experience of ship building and represents a good strategic and geographic fit for Saab’s business expansion in the naval domain. The contract is a result of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Saab and Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa (PGZ), the biggest Polish defence company, which was signed in October 2016.

For the Nauta Shiprepair Yard participation in construction of this ship will represent an opportunity for further dynamic growth by increasing our shipbuilding portfolio, not only on the domestic arena. As Nauta we have access to a skilled workforce, needed infrastructure and have accumulated long term experience in maritime projects. We are a company which is experiencing dynamic growth, places emphasis on innovation, and has forged ahead with adoption of new technology – we are very well prepared to participate in a project like the production of a special purpose vessel, explains Slawomir Latos, the chairman of the Nauta Shiprepair Yard.