Naval Group and Sweden’s Marine Technology Center sign naval research agreement in Stockholm

Naval Group and the Marine Technology Center of Sweden (MTC) have signed a memorandum of understanding on joint naval research and innovation. The agreement was signed on 12 October in Stockholm, according to a Naval Group press release published the following day.

The signing took place at the Grand Hôtel during the French Swedish Innovation Forum, organised by the Swedish Chamber of Commerce in France with the French and Swedish embassies. Emmanuel Brochard, Naval Group’s director of international research and development cooperation, and David Appelberg, MTC’s director, signed for their organisations.

What the memorandum covers

The company lists four areas: communications, autonomous systems, protection of critical seabed infrastructure and the digital architecture of ships. It says the aim is to support Sweden’s naval sovereignty, long-term industrial cooperation and stronger European defence capabilities. The memorandum is a framework for research cooperation, and the release names no funding, contract value or project schedule.

Brochard said the agreement “brings together complementary expertise and research capabilities” to develop concrete solutions for the Royal Swedish Navy, and that the partners can speed up co-development and experimentation in Sweden. Appelberg said the goal is to accelerate maritime innovation and “turn international cooperation into tangible results”, contributing to maritime security in the Baltic Sea region and across Europe.

Context

The research agreement follows Naval Group’s frigate contract with Sweden. On 31 August the company signed with the Swedish Ministry of Defence for four defence and intervention frigates (FDI) for the Royal Swedish Navy, with the first delivery scheduled for 2030. Naval Group has since reported a steel-cutting ceremony for the first of them; see Naval Group starts Sweden’s first FDI frigate one month after contract signing.