Sweden tapped Saab to construct its new signal intelligence vessel, which will replace the HMS Orion, pictured. Photo by Kemikungen/Wikimedia

April 11 (UPI) -- Saab reports it is to build a special purpose signals intelligence ship for the Swedish Navy.

The contract for the vessel, which will be constructed by Saab's Kockums business unit, was issued by the Swedish Defense Material Administration and is worth nearly $80.4 million.


"Special Purpose Ships of this kind requires high reliability and availability," Gunnar Wieslander, head of Kockums, said in a press release. "Saab, and not the least Kockums, has during the years delivered products that live up to these high standards."

Construction of the SIGINT vessel will be conducted between 2017 and 2020, Saab said.

A SIGINT-vessel is mainly used to intercept radio transmitted signals. The Swedish Navy currently uses the HMS Orion for this purpose.

HMS Orion was launched by Kockums into service in 1984.