Saab and Britain’s Babcock are promoting the Arrowhead 120 frigate as a candidate for the Swedish Navy’s future surface ship program, which will give rise to the Luleå class.
The joint proposal seeks to meet Swedish requirements for operations in the Baltic Sea, North Sea and Arctic regions, highlighting the project’s autonomy and versatility in the face of emerging maritime threats.
Around 120 meters long, the vessel was designed with a focus on air defense and anti-submarine warfare, in addition to featuring a modular architecture that allows adaptations throughout its useful life. Babcock chose not to submit an independent proposal to FMV, focusing 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 aircraft, reinforcing the frigate’s capacity in maritime surveillance, escort and submarine hunting missions. Saab emphasizes that aerial and operational flexibility is one of the pillars of the proposal, guaranteeing resistance for prolonged missions.
+USS Santa Barbara and A-10 perform live fire in the Gulf during a US 5th Fleet exercise
The Swedish program foresees the acquisition of four new frigates and also has competition from Naval Group, from France, and Navantia, from Spain. 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 integrate one of the most important naval modernization processes in the country 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
