Hybrid hovering AUV/ROV platform for autonomous inspection, maintenance, repair, and subsea resident operations at depths up to 3,000 m.
Sabertooth is a dual-use hybrid AUV/ROV platform developed by Saab in Sweden. It combines deep-water hovering capability, autonomous navigation, assisted operation, and tethered manual operation for inspection, maintenance, repair, and subsea-resident workflows. It is positioned for subsea inspection, maintenance and repair, resident subsea robotics, offshore survey, autonomous intervention, and mine countermeasures support missions and is listed publicly as active. Published specifications captured in this database include a double-hull length of about 4 m, a published depth rating of 3000 m, reported forward speed of 4-5 kts depending on variant, and payload information covering cameras, sonars, high-voltage tooling/motor interfaces, manipulators, cleaning tools, acoustic navigation, and communications instruments. The platform is described as autonomous / supervised / tethered in terms of control and autonomy. Its concept emphasizes six-degree-of-freedom maneuvering, subsea docking, resident operation for more than six months without maintenance, and reduced dependence on surface vessels for repeat underwater work.
Saab lists single- and double-hull variants. Current product-page specifications include 1,200 msw and 3,000 msw depth ratings, 3.6 m and 4.0 m variant lengths, 650-2,000 kg launch weights, 6-DOF auto functions, 5 kts or 4 kts forward speed, and 12 kWh or 30 kWh battery capacity. Saab describes autonomous, operational-assisted, and manual operating modes.
PXGEO and Equinor have signed a one-year framework agreement to run autonomous inspection trials with the Saab Sabertooth. The work tests and verifies Saab Sabertooth Underwater Intervention Drone (UID) technology, validating autonomous be…
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