The Submarine That ‘Sank’ a Navy Aircraft Carrier: Meet Sweden’s Gotland-Class

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Key Points: The Swedish Gotland-class submarines exemplify Sweden’s military innovation and efficiency, showcasing capabilities that far surpass their size and cost expectations.

-These diesel-electric submarines feature air-independent propulsion (AIP), granting endurance comparable to nuclear-powered submarines. Stealth features like sonar-resistant coatings and radar-absorbent materials make them exceptionally difficult to detect.

-The Gotland-class gained international recognition in 2004 when one “sank” the USS Ronald Reagan in a simulated attack during U.S. Navy exercises.

-As a new NATO member, Sweden’s advanced military assets, including the Gotland-class, enhance the alliance’s maritime strength, particularly in deterring Russian naval activity.

Gotland-Class: The Swedish Navy Has Ace Up Its Sleeve with Quiet Submarines

One thing that fascinates me about NATO members is the huge disparity in military strength among some countries in the alliance.

Certain members seem to have more pride in their militaries. Others spend less and seem to think of defense requirements as a nuisance. This has changed after the Russian invasion of Ukraine as European members are getting in gear now – some more so than others.

One country that punches above its weight is Sweden, and I’d like to focus on that country for this piece since they are pound-for-pound one of the best militaries in NATO.

It’s Worth Hearing More About the Gotland-class

Let’s take a look at the Swedish navy and specifically one of its submarine classes that has impressed the United States for its stealthiness and war-fighting ability in drills, simulations, and exercises.

I’m referring to the Swedish Gotland-class of submarines which have gone above and beyond over the years.

In 2004, a Gotland-class sub actually made a simulated kill in an exercise and “sunk” the USS Ronald Reagan, a vaunted Nimitz-class carrier that the U.S. Navy holds in high esteem.

Quick History About These Impressive Boats

First, some background about the Gotland-class. The lead boat of the class- HSwMS Gotland, was commissioned in 1996, then the HSwMS Uppland and HSwMS Halland was delivered to the Swedish navy the same year.

Not a Large Submarine

The Gotland-class boats are comparatively small in size at only 200 feet long, and they displace just 1,380 tons.

The crew consists of 32 officers and enlisted sailors. The submarines are equipped with four 533 mm torpedo tubes, two 400mm torpedo tubes, and 48 torpedoes onboard.

Endurance Comparable to Nuclear-powered Subs

That seems pretty run-of-the-mill, but the Gotland-class subs have one aspect that stands out.

They come with a Stirling engine air-independent propulsion (AIP) system, which allows the subs to have an extended submerged time of weeks instead of days. Usually, that kind of endurance time is only associated with nuclear-powered submarines.

Most diesel-powered submarines have to resurface to charge their batteries every few days or use a snorkel to recharge while submerged.

With the Gotland-class, the batteries are only used when the submarines engage the AIP. This yields more endurance and the boats can stay underwater for much longer than a regular diesel-powered sub.

What is also great about the Gotland-class is that it costs much less than a nuclear-powered submarine and was easier to build. The AIP enable the Gotland-class to cruise at a slower speed, but it can remain deathly silent.

Absorbing Sonar

According to the National Interest, “the Gotland class possesses additional cutting-edge features, including the twenty-seven electromagnetic mounted to counteract its magnetic signature to Magnetic Anomaly Detectors. Additionally, its hull is protected with sonar-resistant coatings, while its tower is composed of radar-absorbent materials.”

You Can’t Catch Me

The small-size makes it easier to maneuver and the stealth makes it more difficult to track and sink. It is able to run slow and evade detection from sonobuoys and anti-submarine aircraft and surface ships.

Gotland-Class and ‘Sinking’ the Reagan 

The Swedish AIP technology proved especially successful when the U.S. Navy invited the HSwMS Gotland to conduct drills in 2004.

During the simulated operation, the Swedish submarine was so quiet that was actually able to “sink” the Ronald Reagan in a simulated attack.

So, the U.S. Navy ran the exercises again and again. Each time, the quiet Swedish sub showed that it was able to “run rings” around the then newly-made $6.2 billion dollar aircraft carrier and its strike group.

Alarmed and likely afraid, the U.S. Navy tried more exercises with the Gotland over the course of a year, and each time the submarine stealthily maneuvered around surface ships and even nuclear attack submarines that were part of the Reagan strike group. Navy brass decided to lease the Swedish sub for another year to try and figure out why the Gotland was so good.

You Have to Hand It to the Swedes on the Gotland Submarines 

So, this is an example of how the Swedish military is intelligent and crafty and can do more with less resources and money. The country will be a valuable member of NATO, and its submarines will be able to police the seas around Scandinavia and likely flummox the Russian navy, which has shown in Ukraine that it is not that formidable. 

About the Author: Dr. Brent M. Eastwood 

Brent M. Eastwood, PhD, is the author of Don’t Turn Your Back On the World: a Conservative Foreign Policy and Humans, Machines, and Data: Future Trends in Warfare, plus two other books. Brent was the founder and CEO of a tech firm that predicted world events using artificial intelligence. He served as a legislative fellow for U.S. Senator Tim Scott and advised the senator on defense and foreign policy issues. He has taught at American University, George Washington University, and George Mason University. Brent is a former U.S. Army Infantry officer. He can be followed on X @BMEastwood.