Saab starts production of Finnish Navy’s composite masts

17 August 2023 – On Tuesday, 15 August, a composite cutting ceremony was held at Saab’s site in Karlskrona for the first of four masts for the Finnish Navy’s new ships. The masts are manufactured in the same composite material that the Swedish Visby-class corvettes are made of, and in which Saab is a world-leading producer.

In September 2019, Saab signed a contract to provide and integrate the combat system for the Finnish Navy’s four new ships in the Pohjanmaa class (known as the Squadron 2020 programme). Saab is one of the subcontractors for the new Finnish ships, with planned deliveries during the period 2027-2029.

The masts that Saab manufactures for Finland are equivalent in height to a five-story building.

“This was an important day and we are proud to be part of the work to strengthen the Finnish Navy’s capabilities. We look forward to delivering our world-leading composite solutions and combat systems in close cooperation with our Finnish customer,” says Mats Wicksell, Senior Vice President and Head of Saab’s Business Area Kockums.

Saab has great know-how and a long experience in designing and building with composite materials, such as carbon fibre, and has delivered composite solutions for several different ship classes. There is great interest in such materials as they contribute to a lower ship weight and radar signature. Carbon fibre is a sustainable alternative that does not corrode, lowers fuel consumption and means that more of a ship’s overall weight can be allocated to additional capabilities.

Images courtesy Saab