Defense and security company Saab has signed a contract for deliveries of the Sabertooth Autonomous Underwater Vehicle/Remotely Operated Vehicle (AUV/ROV). Deliveries will take place during 2018.

With this contract, the customer has ordered the first vehicles in a planned fleet of Sabertooth vehicles. Under the agreement, Saab and the customer will work together to further develop this game-changing, innovative vehicle and its applications in the field of subsea Inspection, Maintenance and Repair (IMR), survey and intervention work.

“We are pleased to have received this order for an initial number of systems. For us it is definitely a break-through to win a Sabertooth order from a leading company operating within the Oil & Gas domain. We will work closely together with the customer as they implement the system and we look forward to supporting them with their strategic focus and continued growth,” said Görgen Johansson, Head of Saab’s business area Dynamics.

“The customer will take huge steps into the future with the way they are going to operate this system. We will make sure that the system develops in order to meet new demands from end-users. They will also, by using the Sabertooth vehicles, significantly decrease their operating costs,” he added.

The contract comprises a suite of advanced survey sensors. The Sabertooth system has been configured to allow additional sensors, which can be quickly integrated to meet project specific applications.

The Sabertooth has proven to be a rugged and highly capable system, which is ideal for the varied maintenance and operational markets supported by the customer. Sabertooth can be uniquely operated in both fully autonomous (AUV) and tethered (ROV) modes, enabling fully flexible dual operations from one platform. The vehicle’s capability can be applied across the range of subsea operations from site investigation surveys through to decommissioning support.

The industry’s nature is such that further information about the customer will not be announced.

Saab serves the global market with world-leading products, services and solutions within military defense and civil security. Saab has operations and employees on all continents around the world. Through innovative, collaborative and pragmatic thinking, Saab develops, adopts and improves new technology to meet customers’ changing needs.