Sweden’s new signals intelligence ship “HMS Artemis” has begun sea trials ahead of official delivery to the Swedish Navy.
A photo shared by Saab shows the new vessel already in the southern port of Karlskrona with the pennant number A202.
HMS Artemis, Sweden’s new SIGINT-ship, has begun sea trials in Karlskrona. It will then be delivered to Sweden's armed forces after the tests. It will replace HMS Orion which has been in service since 1984. Artemis is larger than her predecessor and more advanced in every aspect. pic.twitter.com/wuoTf1kiM3
— Saab (@Saab) November 2, 2022
After testing and evaluation, the HMS Artemis will be handed over to the Swedish Defense Materiel Administration and delivered to the navy.
It will be tasked with gathering information at sea through sophisticated electronic eavesdropping.
The ship will replace the HMS Orion in service with the Swedish armed forces since 1984.
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Launched in 2019, the HMS Artemis is 74 meters (242 feet) long and has a displacement of 2,200 tons.
Its hull was built by the Nauta Shiprepair Yard in Poland and transferred to Sweden for the installation of cutting-edge signals intelligence systems.
According to Saab, the new spy ship includes capabilities better than the Orion.
“The new ship is longer, taller, and wider than its predecessor. Above all, however, it is more advanced in every respect,” the company stated.
The Artemis was initially expected to be commissioned in 2020, but the developers encountered unforeseen delays in its delivery.
