The activities of the Swedish submarines are surrounded by extensive secrecy and this is connected with the fact that no one should know where, how and when a submarine can strike. When SVT visits the submarine HMS Gotland in Norway ahead of a NATO exercise, much of the technology on board is kept hidden by pieces of fabric and strips of tape.
– Our greatest strength is that we are invisible. It contributes to an uncertainty. Just the threat that there is a submarine is the big key here, says ship commander Viktor Moberg.
Acts autonomously
In the report, he describes how the submarine’s crew of 35 people act completely on their own once they have cast off and dived into the depths.
– I get an assignment and an area to move in. Then I solve my task all by myself.
It is often a question of assignments lasting two weeks, when the crew is cut off from the outside world.
– The reason is that it is difficult to reach a submarine once it has dived, radio does not work underwater. There are occasional occasions when we get up and listen to see if anyone in the country has something for us, but there are large time intervals between those occasions, says Viktor Moberg.
In the submarine’s weapon room, the torpedo tubes are loaded and according to the commander of HMS Gotland, the ship always carries a “standard equipment” of mines, light torpedoes for anti-submarine warfare and heavy torpedoes that can sink large warships.
– It is a powerful bomb of hundreds of kilograms of explosives. It can lower most things, says Viktor Moberg.
Increased workload
He states that the Swedish submarine force has had more and more to do in recent years as the security situation has tightened, and the work has partially shifted:
– There has been a bit more of the monitoring part, says Viktor Moberg.
Is there an increased risk of collisions and incidents when you become more active?
– No, no more than usual, we are used to dealing with that. Then we will see if the situation becomes more provocative in the future, but we must hope that it will not.