Sweden Transforms Retired Reconnaissance Ship to Test Drones

According to a report by Reference News Network on April 20, the German magazine Focus reported on April 17 that Sweden has reactivated the retired reconnaissance vessel "Orion." This 39-year-old reconnaissance ship was decommissioned in 2023 and was previously used to monitor Russian naval activities in the Baltic Sea. According to the Ukrainian Defense Express website, starting in 2028, the "Orion" will be used as a testing platform for unmanned systems.

Currently, the ship is docked at the Saab Kockums shipyard in Karlskrona, southern Sweden, where it will undergo extensive repairs and modifications to suit its new purpose. Preliminary sea trials are scheduled to take place by the end of 2027. After that, the "Orion" will be regularly used as a "floating laboratory."

Reports indicate that Sweden has successfully found a new crew for the vessel. They have received specialized training for testing unmanned aerial systems. The ship will be used as a drone testing vessel. The official duration of the "Orion" carrying out this mission has not yet been announced, nor have the specific types of drones to be tested been specified.

The Ukrainian Defense Express website commented that for Ukraine, this is an example of how partner countries utilize existing naval infrastructure to support their own drone projects. (Translated by Jiao Yu)