Saab Unveils Three CB90 Capability X Configurations
Saab has revealed three mission-optimised versions of its Combat Boat 90 Capability X, with Sweden as launch customer.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Robotics
Saab has revealed three mission-optimised configurations of the Combat Boat 90 Capability X (CB90 CX), an optionally-manned craft, at a press briefing announced on 30 October 2026. Sweden is the launch customer, with Saab under contract to deliver 36 craft to the Defence Materiel Administration (FMV).
Why it matters
The CB90 CX extends the boat's role beyond troop transport to distributed situational awareness, surface strike and self-defence. The procurement forms part of the recapitalisation of the Swedish Amphibious Battalion under its new Amfbat 2030 doctrine.
The CB90 CX measures 18 m long and 4 m wide, a stretch of 1.4 m and 0.3 m over the previous CB90, and carries more than 5 tonnes of payload on two 1,100 hp waterjet-driven engines. Specific delivery timing and per-unit cost of the 36-craft order have not been disclosed in the available details.
The players
Saab
Saab is a Swedish defence and aerospace company that designs and builds the Combat Boat 90 family of littoral craft.
Defence Materiel Administration (FMV)
The FMV is the Swedish government agency responsible for procuring military equipment for the Swedish Armed Forces.
The details
The ISR variant carries a Giraffe 1X 3D surveillance radar on an extendable mast reaching up to 11 m, while the general and ISR variants are armed with a 12.7 mm or 30 mm Trackfire remote weapon station. The surface strike variant carries an anti-ship missile system with a range estimate up to 100 km, with targeting data supplied from external sensors.
Timeline
30 October 2026: Saab announces the CB90 CX launch in a press briefing from its Docksta business unit.
2 November 2026: The CB90 CX is launched and imagery is published.
The Tech Race
The CB90 CX is being procured to match the Amfbat 2030 doctrine, which aims to turn the Swedish marine battalion into a more mobile, lethal, disaggregated and data-centric force. Its added ISR, surface strike and optionally-manned capabilities place Saab's littoral craft within a wider push among navies to pair small boats with sensors and networked strike.
For readers following defence technology, the CB90 CX shows how a single hull can be reconfigured for troop transport, surveillance or strike missions. The optionally-manned design means the same boat may operate with or without a crew depending on the mission.
The takeaway
Optionally-manned littoral craft let navies add sensing and strike capability without redesigning the platform each time. Watching how the Swedish Amphibious Battalion deploys the CB90 CX will show whether this doctrine performs as intended.
Further reading
Explore more on Robotics to see how unmanned and optionally-manned systems are reshaping naval operations.
