The Swedish Navy earlier made the RB 08 anti-ship missiles with the Halland-class destroyers in the early 1960s. The main effect of Sweden's defence resolution of 1958 for the Swedish navy was restructuring into a lighter force consisting of fast attack craft (FAC) vessels - mainly the Norrköping-class missile boat - and a halt to destroyer procurement. This posed a problem as the existing RB 08 missile required launch rails and a missile magazine in the destroyers, taking up space that was not available in smaller ships. Adding to the problems, each missile had to be individually prepared for launch and only two missiles could be on the launch rails at the same time. In comparison, the P-15 Termit (NATO codename Styx) missile used by the Soviet Union from the late 1950s (which was the expected adversary of RBS 15) stored the missiles in individual containers on deck with the missiles immediately available for launch. Tests were carried out on Plejad class FACs with a single bow-mounted RB 08 in the late 1960s, but they came to nothing.
Saab's next attempt at anti-ship missiles to equip the FACs of the Swedish navy was in 1978 under the project name "RB 04 Turbo", a development of the air force RB 04E missile with a turbofan engine, changed wing configuration and start rockets to take off from land, while the front of the missile was retained, including the warhead. The initial proposal was rejected as inferior to the Harpoon missile. The project, under the leadership of Hans Ahlinder, was then reworked into a missile with improved capabilities to surpass than the Harpoon. To indicate that it was a new weapon, the name was changed to "RBS 15".[4]
RB 04 missile
The first weapon contract was signed in 1979; at the last minute the Swedish government did not buy the Harpoon anti-ship missile, opting for an indigenous design. The RBS 15 underwent trials on the missile FAC HSwMSPiteå from 1983, the first missiles were delivered to the Navy in June 1984, and became operational with the Swedish Navy in 1985 as the RBS 15 Mk. I. The Västergötland-classsubmarines were to have four vertical missile launch tubes for RBS 15 missiles in an extended hull, canceled due to budget constraints and to not fitting the way Swedish submarines operated.
The Swedish Navy ordered the missile in 1984 to develop a coastal defense version of the RBS 15F. The missile was taken into Swedish Navy service as the 'Rb 15 by the Swedish Navy and became operational in 1985. The Swedish Air Force received their missiles a couple of years later. The original RBS 15 Mk. I was produced from 1985 to 1990.
Work on a further developed version, the RBS 15 Mk. II, began in the early 1980s, but it took until 1994 to get a development contract for the upgraded anti-ship missile. The Mk. II has the same range (70+ km), but the mid-course and terminal guidance system, as well as the radar and IR signature were upgraded. The Mk. II has been produced since 1998.
Development of the RBS 15 Mk. III began in the mid-1990s. It is produced by Saab in co-operation with Diehl Defence of Germany.[5] Emphasis was put on increased range (due to larger fuel capacity and new fuel the range has been increased to some 200km), improved accuracy (integrated GPS) and selectable priority targeting, which improved the weapon system's flexibility. The Mk. III was selected for the German Navy's Braunschweig-classcorvettes. Finnish truck maker Sisu produces missile launch trucks for RBS 15. The Mk. III has been in production since 2004.
In March 2017 Saab received an order for a new generation anti-ship missile to replace the RBS 15, valued at 3.2 billion SEK.[6] The following year, SAAB unveiled the RBS 15 Mk. IV Gungnir, again produced with Diehl. Unlike Mk. III, the Mk. IV Gungnir can be fired from a truck, making it capable of launching from air, sea, or land.[7] Gungnir missiles have been ordered for the Swedish Navy, with the first weapons scheduled for delivery in the mid-2020s.[8]
Variants
The RBS15 exists in various generations, and each generation has various launch platform options.[9]
RBS15 - first generation
Variants of the first generation:
Air-launched: RBS-15F, launched exclusively from Swedish fighters (AJS37 Viggen, Fpl AJ37 Viggen, JAS-39 Gripen)[10]
MTO 85M (Meritorjuntaohjus 1985M, Finland), modernised variant of the coastal defence system, equipped with the RBS-15 SF-3 missile. They use new missile and refurbished Mk2 missiles.[16]
Saab CDMS (Coastal Defence Missile System), using the same missile as the ship-launched RBS15 Mk3, and will be able to launch the future RBS15 generation.[17][14]
Variants of the fourth generation known as the RBS15 Gungnir:[15][18][19][20]
Air-launched: RBS15 Mk4 Air (known as RBS-15 ER in the Swedish Air Force), a missile in development as of 2026, to be launched from JAS-39 Gripen C/D, JAS-39 Gripen E/F, Saab Swordfish and other maritime patrol aircraft.[21][14][19]
Primary weapon of the Croatian Navy for its five guided missile boats and three coastal systems mounted on Tatra trucks. In total, 48 Mk.I units are in service. Plans for upgrading 21 missiles to a standard incorporating elements from both the Mk.II and the Mk.III versions was cancelled in 2009 due to budget restraints but light software upgrades were continuously executed and have improved the missiles' navigation, precision and electronic defence. The latest of this upgrades was conducted in 2010 as part of usual service works. Unexpectedly though, in August 2014 the Croatian government decided to send at least 20 Croatian RBS 15 missiles through an overhaul program so as to keep them operational and current for another 10 years. The missiles are to receive upgrades to increase their range to about 90–100km as well as to improve their guidance, precision and survivability against jamming. The missiles were successfully launched and destroyed their targets in live fire naval exercises in 2015, 2016 and 2018.[26]
The Finnish Navy operates RBS 15SF-III (Mk. IIs, designation MTO 85) that have undergone various upgrades during their lifetime. The missiles are carried by the Hamina-classmissile boats and the Rauma-class missile boats. Finland also operates the missiles from Sisu trucks for mobile coastal defense.[27][28]
The German Navy has chosen the Mk. III to equip its Braunschweig-class corvettes in 2005. Saab has received an additional order from its German partner Diehl Defence for the RBS 15 anti-ship missile for provision to the German Navy, with an order value of approximately 1.7 BSEK with deliveries between 2022 and 2026.
30 RBS15 Mk-3 ordered in 2005 manufactured from 2011 to 2015 ($46 million deal)
24 RBS15 Mk-3 in option confirmed in 2016 ($25 million deal)
75 RBS15 Mk-3 ordered in 2022, deliveries 2022-2026 ($190 million deal)
The Swedish Coastal Artillery was also equipped with RBS 15Ms, which were mounted on Scania trucks. Four missile batteries were planned,[33] but in the end only one battery was ever ordered serving from 1995 to 2000 when the Coastal Artillery was disbanded. The system was reintroduced to service in 2016, now belonging to the Third and Fourth Naval Warfare Flotillas.[34][35][36]
As a part of its Gripen procurement program, the Royal Thai Air Force ordered the air-launch version, the RBS 15F, to equip its Gripen fighter aircraft.[37][38]
In August 2022, the Bulgarian government decided to purchase RBS 15 Mk. III for the two future patrol ships of the Bulgarian navy. The first ship is under construction and will be commissioned in 2025. Bulgaria may also be arming its Coastal Artillery with RBS 15 Mk.III, but it has competition from the Naval Strike Missile and the Exocet[40][41][42]
Colombia ordered 15 Gripen E, 2 Gripen F in November 2025.[43] They might have an interest in the anti-ship defence to protect its Atlantic and its Pacific ocean coasts.
Thailand ordered the Gripen E/F in 2025, and the RBS 15 Mk4 Gungnir (RBS15 Mk4 Air) might be part of the armament package to protect the vast maritime territory of the nation.[44]
Sweden announced the support to Ukraine with 16 Gripen C(D to be donated in 2027. RBS-15 F might be donated to be operated from them. Ukraine also ordered 16 Gripen E aircraft in July 2026, and both the Grupen C/D and the Gripen E might operate RBS15 Mk4 Air (known as RBS-15 ER in the Swedish Air Force.[45]
Croatia recovered the equipment after declaring its independence from Yugoslavia. The systems were captured during the Croatian War of Independence. Today the systems remain active, but with the Croatian Navy.[47]
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