Saab is taking its well-established CB90 combat boat in a notably more ambitious direction, introducing a larger, optionally crewed version that’s intended to do much more than ferry troops and conduct raids. The new Combat Boat 90 Capability X (CB90 CX) is being developed as a multi-mission combat platform capable of carrying sensors and weapons for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR), anti-surface warfare, and short-range air defense (SHORAD).
The new boat represents a significant evolution of a design that has been adopted by naval forces around the world for littoral operations. Compared to the original design, however, the CX adds greater payload capacity, updated onboard systems, and the ability to operate with or without a crew.
Saab says the CB90 CX is currently in production for Sweden, which will be the launch customer, with 36 craft under contract for the Swedish Amphibious Battalion. With the Swedish Armed Forces, the new boat will operate alongside the existing, smaller CB90 NG rather than immediately replacing it.
The development reflects several broader shifts in naval warfare, including the use of smaller combatants to contribute directly to the fight rather than simply transport personnel or support larger ships. At the same time, the ability of the CB90 CX to operate without personnel on board is indicative of the rapid advances being made in the uncrewed surface vessel (USV) space.
“The future of naval operations is not just about having more platforms; it is about distributing greater combat capability across the force,” Anders Hellman, head of Saab’s Docksta business unit, said in the announcement.
Hellman also pointed to recent operations in the Baltic Sea, the Black Sea, and the Red Sea to highlight the kinds of areas and missions the CB90 CX has been designed to face. In the Baltic, this includes protection of critical infrastructure as the threat from Russia continues to grow. In the Black Sea, Russia and Ukraine have been engaged in extensive naval warfare, increasingly using USVs to undertake missions including attacks on shipping and against ground targets, as well as SHORAD. Finally, the Red Sea has seen USVs, aerial drones, and cruise missiles attack commercial shipping, with the sheer volume of these strikes putting traditional naval air defenses under extreme pressure.
The baseline CB90 has already established its reputation through a combination of speed, maneuverability, and the ability to operate in confined coastal waters. While developed specifically with Swedish naval operations in mind, it has also been adopted by close to a dozen navies around the world. Among its operators, U.S. Navy examples are designated as the Riverine Command Boat. More unusually, Russia has fielded a locally developed clone of the CB90 design, known as the Raptor class.
The CB90 CX keeps those features but combines them with a larger hull and increased payload capacity, meaning it can accommodate a wider range of mission systems and weapons.
The ability for the CX to operate as an optionally crewed boat is derived from Saab’s proprietary Autonomous Ocean Core system. The company has not yet disclosed the full details of the autonomous operating modes but says that human supervision will be required as part of the decision-making process. Saab also says that every CB90 CX will come with the option of autonomous operations, with the decision falling upon the operator, based on the particular mission requirements.
Clearly, the combination of a larger platform and autonomous operation opens up a range of possibilities for employing the boat in situations where putting a crew at risk may be undesirable. The CX is also designed to operate across a wider range of sea states.
In terms of specifications, the CB90 CX has an overall length of 59 feet, compared to 54.5 feet for the CB90 NG variant. It is powered by a pair of 1,100-horsepower engines driving waterjets, giving a maximum speed of over 40 knots, at which it can travel for more than 300 nautical miles. In crewed configuration, it can carry up to 10 personnel.
The ISR variant is designed to provide enhanced situational awareness across multiple domains. It incorporates Saab’s Giraffe 1X X-band 3D surveillance radar, which can detect and track threats in the air and on the surface, out to a range of over 62 miles against aerial targets. The radar is mounted on a 36-foot extending mast to increase its range over the horizon and in littoral zones.
The anti-ship warfare configuration is intended to provide over-the-horizon strike capability against surface vessels. Saab has shown a rendering of this version armed with a pair of MBDA’s Marte ER anti-ship missiles in angled canisters.
Marte ER is a lightweight, long-range missile designed to be deployed from a wide range of platforms, including aircraft, coastal batteries, and smaller naval vessels. It has a range of over 62 miles and operates on a sea-skimming ‘fire-and-forget’ principle, guided by an active radar seeker. The missile can also be employed against land targets, a capability that Saab doesn’t explicitly mention.
However, Marte ER is just one option for the CB90 CX, and Saab has confirmed that Sweden will arm the boats with a different, undisclosed missile.
Furthermore, both the ISR and anti-ship versions are armed with a 12.7mm or 30mm Trackfire Remote Weapon Station for self-defense.
The SHORAD configuration, meanwhile, is designed to address the growing threat posed by drones. It will employ Rheinmetall’s Seasnake 30mm autocannon, giving the boat a dedicated close-range air defense role. As well as drones, the gun, which has a nominal maximum rate of fire of 1,100 rounds per minute, can be used to engage helicopters, and it has a secondary role against surface targets, including USVs.
The latter capability is particularly notable as navies increasingly face the challenge of defending themselves against relatively inexpensive drones that can threaten even sophisticated warships.
Beyond these three initial mission variants, Saab says it is developing an option to launch drones from the CB90 CX. Both tube-launched drones and quadcopters are being examined. Torpedo armament is also planned as an option.
The broader concept behind the CB90 CX involves the distribution of sensors and weapons across a larger number of smaller, more flexible platforms, which may or may not be crewed.
Operators could employ multiple CB90 CX boats in complementary roles. ISR-equipped boats could help detect and track threats, while anti-ship variants provide additional strike options, and SHORAD-equipped boats help protect the force against aerial threats.
Operating together, the different configurations could create a more distributed and more resilient combat fleet, particularly in coastal environments where geography, island chains, and confined waterways complicate operations.
Furthermore, the optionally crewed version would allow the boats to operate in higher-risk areas or undertake missions that would otherwise expose personnel to unacceptable danger.
The ISR variant, in particular, could be of use in a scenario like the current crisis with Iran, for instance. Vessels equipped with the Sea Giraffe radar could form a picket line across the Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz, and Gulf of Oman to detect incoming drones and cruise missiles, and also provide data on surface movements. A counter-drone variants could be used for force protection. The idea that these could even be uncrewed makes such an application even more attractive considering the threats posed to vessels in this region and especially in or near the strait.
For Sweden, the introduction of the CX alongside the CB90 NG means that a more capable combat boat can be introduced alongside the smaller platform, which remains useful for more traditional troop transport and raiding party missions.
The CB90 CX also represents an effort to expand the utility of the basic design out of its traditional littoral environment and into a more demanding and increasingly complex operational environment.
At the same time, broad commonality with the CB90 NG should make the new design more attractive to established customers.
The company has not yet disclosed a timeline for deliveries but says the first boat for Sweden is now undergoing final acceptance trials. Saab has also confirmed it aims to produce the CB90 CX alongside the previous CB90 NG, making use of a new production site to handle expected demand.
While the original CB90 made its name moving troops around the littorals, the CX is an altogether more ambitious development. At the same time, Saab will face competition from a growing number of USVs and optionally crewed boats, as these vessels continue to proliferate and be adapted for more roles.
Contact the author: thomas@thewarzone.com
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