Saab and the British company Babcock are promoting the Arrowhead 120 frigate as a candidate for the future Swedish Navy surface combatant program, which will give rise to the Luleå class.
The joint proposal aims to meet Swedish requirements for operations in the Baltic Sea, North Sea, and Arctic regions, highlighting the design’s endurance and versatility in the face of emerging maritime threats.
At approximately 120 meters in length, the vessel was designed with a focus on air defense and anti-submarine warfare, and features a modular architecture that allows adaptations throughout its service life. Babcock chose not to submit an independent proposal to FMV, concentrating its efforts exclusively on the partnership with Saab.
The project includes a flight deck and hangar capable of operating medium naval helicopters and unmanned rotary-wing aircraft, strengthening the frigate’s capabilities in maritime surveillance, escort, and submarine hunting missions. Saab emphasizes that air and operational flexibility is one of the pillars of the proposal, ensuring resilience for extended missions.
The Swedish program foresees the acquisition of four new frigates and also includes competition from France’s Naval Group and Spain’s Navantia. The cooperation between Saab and Babcock reflects an already established industrial relationship between Sweden and the United Kingdom and, if selected, the Arrowhead 120 will become part of one of the country’s most significant naval modernization efforts in recent decades.
Source: UK Defence Journal | Photo: X @NavyLookout | This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team
.@Saab in partnership with @Babcockplc will offer the Arrowhead 120 frigate design for the 🇸🇪Swedish Luleå class frigate competition. (More details to follow next week)
The A-120 was originally developed for the UK Type 31 competition in 2017, but Babcock successfully pitched… pic.twitter.com/Y7NVA4or5D
— Navy Lookout (@NavyLookout) February 8, 2026
