TVP reported this.Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the Baltic Sea region has become a hotspot of the war. Moscow has been accused of using civilian vessels for sabotage of underwater cables, disrupting communications and energy links between NATO countries.In response, NATO launched Operation Baltic Sentry to protect critical infrastructure and deter further attacks.The six-meter unmanned submarine is being developed at the southern Kockumsvarvet shipyard by the Swedish Defense Materiel Administration (FMV) and defense company Saab. The prototype is expected to be launched next summer.“It is the threat landscape we find ourselves in that has forced the development,” said Tobias Söderblom, development manager at the Naval War College and project leader.Over the next few years, mini-submarines are expected to take on some of the most dangerous missions currently carried out by Sweden’s fleet of four manned submarines. According to Söderblom, one of their key roles will be scouting areas ahead of crews, checking for mines, seabed surveillance systems, and other underwater threats.In the longer term, the submarines could also be armed.“Sweden is quite well-equipped in that area. If we wanted to arm such a vessel, we could do it quite quickly, but that decision is off my table,” Söderblom said, noting that options could include mines or torpedoes.Artificial intelligence could also play a key role in how the mini-submarines operate. Project developers expect that the submarines will be able to operate autonomously with AI for up to a week at a time. At this stage, however, they are not considering allowing AI to make decisions about the use of weapons.