World's first 5th-gen submarine promises stealth ops, drone delivery

Swedish defense company Saab has introduced the A26, which it calls the world’s first fifth-generation submarine designed to meet NATO’s evolving multi-domain operational needs. Developed for the Swedish Navy with NATO interoperability in mind, the A26 emphasizes stealth, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR), as well as long-range precision strike and seabed warfare capabilities. Leveraging advanced hull design, radar-absorbing coatings, and an electronic degaussing system, the submarine minimizes its acoustic, magnetic, and electric signatures. Its patented Stirling Air-Independent Propulsion (AIP) system enables extended submerged operations, enhancing its near-total invisibility in both shallow coastal and open ocean environments. The A26 introduces novel seabed warfare features, including the deployment of unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs) and special operations forces from modular payload bays, allowing control over critical maritime infrastructure such as communication cables and chokepoints. Armed with long-range precision torpedoes and potential submarine-launched cruise missiles,