Saab has introduced the Combat Boat 90 Capability X (CB90 CX), an optionally crewed combat boat designed to address emerging maritime threats through three mission configurations covering intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, anti-ship warfare and short-range air defence. The new platform represents an evolution of the CB90 fast assault craft, which entered service with the Swedish Armed Forces in the early 1990s. More than 300 CB90 boats are currently operated by nine navies worldwide, including Ukraine. The CB90 CX features an extended 18-metre hull, approximately 1.4 metres longer than the previous version, providing additional payload capacity while retaining the established characteristics of earlier troop-carrying configurations. It also incorporates substantially upgraded onboard systems to support a wider range of combat missions. Sweden is the launch customer and will operate the new version alongside its existing, smaller CB90 NG fleet. According to Swedish outlet EFN, the country has ordered 36 CB90 boats through multiple contracts since 2024, with an average unit price exceeding 40 million Swedish kronor, approximately $4 million, although final costs vary depending on equipment. Saab confirmed that CB90 CX production for Sweden is already underway but did not disclose the delivery schedule. The boats will support the modernisation of Sweden’s amphibious battalions under the Amfbat 2030 doctrine, which aims to create a more mobile, lethal, dispersed and data-centric force. The three CB90 CX configurations are designed for different operational requirements. The ISR version integrates Saab’s Giraffe 1X radar to improve multi-domain situational awareness, while the anti-ship configuration uses MBDA’s MARTE ER missiles to provide over-the-horizon engagement capabilities against surface vessels. The short-range air defence variant features Rheinmetall’s SeaSnake 30 remotely operated naval gun, designed to counter drones, helicopters and loitering munitions. The 30mm cannon has a maximum firing rate of 1,100 rounds per minute and incorporates electro-optical cameras, infrared sensors, a laser rangefinder, automatic target detection and multi-target tracking capabilities. Its programmable airburst ammunition further improves its effectiveness against aerial threats. Stockholm ordered an initial eight SeaSnake 30 systems in February 2026, with the first delivery scheduled for February 2028. Saab said the three CB90 CX configurations can operate independently, together or as part of a wider joint force, combining surveillance, surface-strike and air-defence capabilities.
