9LV

Saab 9LV

Company type	Product/Technology
Industry	Defense, Naval combat systems
Founded	1968
Founder	Philips Teleindustri AB (predecessor)
Headquarters	Järfälla , Sweden
Products	Naval combat management system (CMS)
Owner	Saab

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9LV combat management system

9LV represents a naval combat management system (CMS) developed by the Swedish firm Saab. The origin of 9LV dates back to when Philips Teleindustri AB (renamed Philips Elektronikindustrier AB in 1975), a subsidiary of the Dutch company Philips, was chosen to supply the torpedo and dual-purpose gun fire control system, which included a radar fire control director, for the Swedish Navy Norrköping-class missile boat vessels.

Before the introduction of the Norrköping class, Philips provided torpedo fire control systems for Spica-class and the Plejad-class torpedo boats, as well as for Sjöormen-class and Draken-class submarine submarines. Additionally, they supplied anti-submarine fire control solutions for the Halland-class destroyer and Visby-class frigate classes. The designation 9LV became established only after incorporating air defence fire control along with the radar fire control director; LV stands for "luftvärn," which is Swedish for air defence. Template:Fix/category

Currently, 9LV is installed on various naval vessels, such as the Australian Anzac-class frigate class, the Swedish Visby-class corvette class, Canadian Halifax-class frigate class ships, and Australia's Canberra-class landing helicopter dock vessels. Moreover, it is set to be implemented on the Norwegian Coast Guard’s new Jan Mayen-class ships.

Name etymology

The designation 9LV originates from the late 1960s within Philips Teleindustri based in Järfälla, Sweden. The number nine was assigned to this Swedish product by Philips.Template:Fix/category The abbreviation LV derives from the Swedish term for Ground Based Air Defence (GBAD), Luftvärn.Template:Fix/category Specific configurations of the 9LV system tailored to particular ship classes are often identified by a three-digit code, where the first digit indicates system complexity and the following two digits denote a serial or national identifier. The initial digit corresponds to the categories listed below.Template:Fix/category

System numbers

1	Compact system featuring an optronic (EOS) "100" director
2	Compact system equipped with radar (Ceros) "200" director
3	Advanced system combining optronic and radar directors (100 + 200 = 300)
4	Large-scale system (effectively "2+2," i.e., dual Ceros units) used on Göteborg, ANZAC, Visby, Naresuan classes

Introduction to Naval Combat Management

A naval combat management system (CMS) serves as the integrated computer platform that links a warship's sensors, armaments, data communication networks, countermeasures, and other onboard systems to the personnel managing combat operations throughout the OODA loop cycle. Core capabilities typically encompass sensor operation, fusion of sensor data, threat assessment, allocation of weapons, and weapons control.

9LV Mk1 (1968–1977)

To fulfill the Swedish Navy’s demands for a weapon control system aboard the Norrköping class vessels, Philips TeleindustriAB (PTAB) initiated development of the 9LV200 system in 1968. The contract was finalized with PTAB in 1969. This solution relied on analogue computing technology combined with a newly engineered hydraulically actuated director platform and a frequency-agile Ku band fire control radar named Ceros. Additionally, it incorporated an X band track-while-scan radar for target acquisition. Within the Swedish Navy, this system was designated ARTE 722. The Mk1 version also integrated a fixed-program digital computer.

9LV Mk2 (1977–1983)

The patrol vessel Jägaren was constructed as an experimental platform, drawing design inspiration from Norwegian gunboats Storm and Snögg. Subsequently, Bergens Mekaniske Verksteder produced sixteen more patrol boats modeled after Jägaren. These vessels were outfitted with the 9LV Mk2 system (Arte 726). During this timeframe, the system was referred to as 9LV Mk2 covering Arte726 variants A through D. Following the retirement of these patrol boats, their radars were upgraded and installed on the modernized Koster-class mine countermeasures vessel class.

9LV Mk2.5 (1983–1987)

The introduction of 9LV Mk2.5 brought in a new high-level programming language, RTL/2, alongside enhancements to hardware architecture including updated processors and bus systems. An example of this iteration is the Swedish Navy’s Arte726E.

9LV Mk3 (1987–2005)

Building upon lessons learned from 9LV Mk2.5, a comprehensive redesign commenced around 1985 resulting in 9LV Mk3. This version featured a modular architecture named Base System 2000 (Bassystem 2000), which supplemented the commercial real-time operating system OS-9. The programming language Ada was adopted through collaboration with Rational. After Ericsson acquired its "H Division," responsible for developing a rival combat management system called Maril, on January 1, 1990, several critical architectural elements were integrated into 9LV Mk3.

Key characteristics of 9LV Mk3 included a fully distributed architecture utilizing an Ethernet LAN, with compact, location-independent applications written in Ada. It also implemented a "system family" approach whereby all ship classes shared a unified code base promoting reuse, alongside multi-function consoles enabling any operator to execute any task from any workstation.

9LV Mk3E (1998–2008)

To leverage the rapid advancements in commercially available hardware, the Mk3 software platform was migrated to Intel-based processors utilizing cPCI architecture. This version operated on MS Windows NT rather than the real-time OS-9 system that was employed in the earlier Mk3 editions.

9LV Mk4 (2008–)

The development of Mk4 focused on enhancing integration capabilities and fostering collaborative partnerships by aligning with the principles of the Naval Open Architecture. It incorporates DDS technology to enable modular system design and integrates the Java programming language for select applications. Initial deployments of limited 9LV Mk4 software modules occurred within the Lockheed Martin Canada CMS330 combat system on the Halifax-class frigates, where Saab served as a subcontractor to Lockheed Martin Canada. Subsequent CMS330 variants no longer include 9LV Mk4 components.

A significant achievement for 9LV Mk4 was demonstrated on 30 August 2015 when an ESSM missile was launched from HTMS Naresuan during the CARAT 2015 military exercise, marking a milestone less than three years after the missile contract was finalized.

As Saab has progressively incorporated virtualization, containerization, and other emerging technologies into the 9LV architecture, the traditional generation label (Mk4) has diminished in prominence and is omitted from marketing materials, which now favor the designation NextGen.

Awards and recognition

Saab received the Project of the Year Award in Australia in 2012: Alongside BAE Systems and CEA Technologies, Saab was honored with the Major Company/DMO Project Team of the Year award for its role in delivering the most advanced iteration of the Saab 9LV combat management system as part of an Anti-Ship Missile Defence initiative.

Company heritage of 9LV development

The origins of C2S, the developer behind 9LV, trace through several key milestones:

• 1938: Establishment of Standard Radiofabrik
• 1956: Formation of SRT (Standard Radio & Telefon AB)
• 1964: Construction of a manufacturing facility in Veddesta, Järfälla near Stockholm by SRT
• 1968: Creation of Philips Teleindustrier; inaugurated by the Swedish monarch
• 1971: Stansaab formed from SRT’s computer division, jointly owned by the state, Saab, and ITT
• 1973: ITT divests its stake in Stansaab
• 1975: Stansaab secures a substantial AOC contract in Moscow
• 1976: Merger forming Philips Elektronikindustrier from Philips Teleindustrier
• 1978: Datasaab established through merging Stansaab and Datasaab
• 1981: Ericsson acquires Datasaab, retaining Alfaskop while SRA manages radar systems, later evolving into Ericsson Radio Systems
• 1982: Founding of Ericsson Information Systems (EIS)
• 1982: Establishment of SRA Communications AB
• 1983: Marconi transfers ownership of SRA to Ericsson Radio Systems
• 1988: Command & control alongside radar technologies consolidated under Ericsson Radar Electronics (ERE)
• 1990: Bofors Electronics (BEAB) acquires military production units from Philips and Ericsson (ERE)
• 1991: BEAB merges with Nobeltech
• 1993: Nobeltech rebrands as Celsiustech
• 2000: Saab acquires Celsiustech; divisions renamed SaabTech Systems and SaabTech Electronics
• 2003: Formation of SaabTech through merging Saab Avionics and SaabTech Systems
• 2005: Establishment of Saab Systems
• 2009: Launch of Saab Security and Defence Solutions

Saab’s command and control lineage began in 1966 with a working group named SESAM tasked with designing a next-generation combat management system. This effort led to preliminary designs for what became NIBS (Näckens InformationsBehandlingsSystem), featuring a fully digital combined combat and fire control solution that supported two operator stations capable of tracking at least ten targets. The operator consoles were based on Stansaab designs. Subsequently, Stansaab received the contract to develop this system, with software provided by Teleplan.

Key developments include:

• 1988: SESUB (Strids- & Eldledning SUBmarin) contract awarded to Datasaab as an advanced iteration of NIBS
• 1996: Complete SESUB 940 solution contracted to CelsiusTech

Bibliography

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