Swedish navy is modernised for peace-keeping missions

The Swedish Navy is using technology to modernise its fleet of ships in preparation for a greater international role.

Apart from some incidents involving foreign submarines in the late 1980s and early 1990s, the Swedish Navy has not seen live action since the Napoleonic war in 1815.

But now it is refurbishing its fleet with high-tech systems in readiness for involvement in international peace keeping missions.

'Sweden has a long tradition in peacekeeping operations but it has mainly been the army that has been participating,' said Johan Sp„hl, operations officer on the Navy vessel HMS Stockhlom.

Ships are being decked out with computerised systems controlling navigation, communications, operations and weapons.

All systems, apart from the stand alone weapons system , run off the ship's network, consisting of several onboard NT4 servers.

Sp„hl says tight budgets and the requirement for minimal risk mean the Navy has to opt for existing technology which has had as many flaws as possible ironed out.

The Navy is working on the development of a new onboard communications system, but Sp„hl says voice will remain the core method of communication because it is reliable, fast and avoids the necessity to use internet-based technologies that increase risk of identity by enemy forces.