As the US and the Soviet Union were engulfed in an unprecedented arms race after World War 2 ended,
there was another country that wanted to outdo the Soviets during the Cold War: Sweden.
The Swedish Navy had developed the RB 08 anti-ship missile for its Halland-class destroyers in the
early 1960s. However, it lacked the range and versatility of its Soviet counterpart,
the older P-15 Termit. As such, the European nation was forced to
buy American-made Harpoon missiles to face a possible Soviet threat.
The solution, however, was temporary. As early as 1978,
Sweden started developing a new generation of state-of-the-art fire-and-forget
surface-to-surface and air-to-surface anti-ship missiles: the mighty RBS 15.
The ambitious design promised a unique and formidable anti-ship missile that
would not only surpass the P-15 Termit, but would even outdo the American harpoon,
drawing Sweden closer to military weaponry independence.
In a bold move, Sweden canceled a large order of US Harpoon missiles in the early 1980s. Instead,
it ordered its own domestic mighty RBS 15. Only time would tell if
the ambitious Swedish technology was ready to perform in the big leagues…
Not On Par
In the early 1960s, Sweden had a problem; it had recently signed Sweden’s defense
resolution of 1958, which entailed a significant reconfiguration of its
military branches. The Navy was to undergo a massive restructuring, abandoning its larger
ships in exchange for a lighter force consisting of fast attack craft vessels.
The endeavor was a challenge in and of itself, but it also posed a much more significant issue:
the Saab Rb 08 anti-ship missiles used by the Sweden Navy were too
large and required a cumbersome rail system to be mounted on the warships;
these systems would just not fit in many of the smaller vessels that the Navy was procuring.
To make matters worse, each Rb 08 missile had to be individually arranged for launch,
and only two missiles could simultaneously be on the launch rails.
This situation put the Swedish Navy at a considerable disadvantage compared to the Soviets,
whose P-15 Termit missile, codenamed Styx by NATO, stored the projectiles
in individual containers on deck, making them immediately available for launch.
If something drastic was not done, the new smaller ships would only be able to carry
a few anti-ship missiles, and they would be more challenging to store and launch.
As if that weren’t enough, the Rb 08, which had been developed some years after the Termit,
was slower and had an inferior range compared to the Soviet solution.
There was no way around it; a new missile had to be developed.
Soon, Saab attempted to find a swift and effective solution to the problem by taking the RB 04E
missile used by the Air Force and modifying it to function as a new anti-ship missile.
But after an early development stage, the initial prototypes turned out to be inferior
to the Harpoon missile that the Swedish Navy was already using as a temporary solution.
Consequently, the idea was scrapped.
The RBS 15
Unwilling to leave the future of Swedish defense in the hands of American technology,
Saab Bofors Dynamics began the development of a new missile with
the sole objective of surpassing what the Harpoon missile could do.
The project was led by Hans Ahlinder, and the design was renamed from “Rb 04 Turbo” to “RBS
15” to showcase the extensive modifications and new design measures that were taking place.
Things moved quickly from then on, with a contract for development signed in 1979 and
the Swedish government canceling a large Harpoon missile order the very same year,
opting for their own indigenous design over that of the US.
The move was risky, as the RBS 15 was still in early development,
but Sweden was confident in its weapon development prowess.
The RBS 15 was crafted from the Air Force’s RB 04 missile but underwent several adjustments
and modifications. Its frontal section was preserved, including the warhead,
but the rear received new wings and a turbofan engine instead of the rocket engine used before.
The missile undertook trials in 1983 and became operational with the Swedish Navy two years later.
The technology proved to be highly effective,
surpassing all expectations. As such, immediate plans were made to develop a
wide array of RBS 15s, including a version for the Västergötland-class submarines,
which were to have four vertical missile launch tubes for RBS 15 missiles in an extended hull.
Unfortunately, this solution would never materialize due to budget constraints
and the specific operational doctrine of Swedish submarines.
Evolution
The initial RBS 15 was deemed Mk. I, and was manufactured from 1985 to 1990.
It was widely used by the Swedish Navy and the Swedish Air Force as
well as a specialized solution for coastal defense systems.
Saab immediately began working on a honed version of the RBS 15, which would come to be known as
Mark II. However, the corporation could not secure a manufacturing contract until 1994,
when they could finally produce the newer version of the anti-ship missile.
The RBS 15 Mk. II had the same 70-kilometer range as its predecessor. Still, it was upgraded with
advanced mid-course and terminal guidance systems, as well as radar and IR signature capabilities.
Just as Saab attained a contract for the RBS 15 Mk. II, it was already working on the design for
what would become the RBS 15 Mark III. This time, Saab cooperated with the German company
Diehl Defense to modify the missile design so it could achieve a much longer operational range.
Mark III
Mark III became a powerhouse; its range increased from 70 kilometers
to over 200 thanks to larger fuel capacity and a new fuel formula.
Additionally, the Mark III was outfitted with an integrated GPS and selectable
priority targeting, which improved the weapon system’s flexibility and accuracy.
The Mk. III became the ultimate RBS 15 system, and it is now being used
by Sweden and several countries around the globe, including the German Navy,
which equipped its Braunschweig-class corvettes with formidable Swedish technology.
The newest version of the RBS 15 has also been adapted into trucks by the Finnish truck maker
Sisu, which allows the projectile to be launched from land and sea. The Mk. III is
still the Swedish anti-ship missile that is used today, and it has been in production since 2004.
The RBS 15 Mark III is a fire-and-forget anti-ship missile that can be launched and entirely
disregarded by the deploying ship, which can then move to safety or deploy other weapon systems.
The internal navigation and tracking systems then correct the projectile’s
trajectory in real-time using a complex array of sensors and computer algorithms.
As the projectile is deployed, it provides a spectacular sight as its two side-mounted
angled missile thrusters fire, sending the warhead off towards its target.
The canister launching system is compact and reliable,
allowing the RBS 15 Mark III missile to be launched even from smaller warships.
Its advanced navigation and targeting systems deliver remarkable precision and safety for
friendly units even in the most complex combat scenarios, and the missile can reach a speed of
Mach 0.9, carry a payload of 900 kilograms, and travel within a range of over 200 kilometers.
The Future
Because of its success, Saab and Diehl Defense are producing a new version.
The RBS 15 Mk. IV Gungnir was ordered in 2017 and is projected
to be drastically more powerful and versatile than the current Mark III.
The Swedish Navy also expects to receive them by the mid-2020s.
This version will increase the weapon’s range to over 300 kilometers and be
completely compatible with warships, truck missile launchers, and aircraft,
making it a truly versatile missile solution for any modern warfare scenario…
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