Providing Naval Vessels with Lifesaving Medical Care
Modern naval vessels can be deployed to remote locations at a moment’s notice. Having 24/7 access to medical facilities – whether at sea, in littoral zones or alongside – is crucial to safeguarding the lives of both military personnel and civilians
Saab Naval Hospitals provide advanced medical solutions that allow maritime crews to provide immediate medical care under even the most challenging of conditions. Our health capabilities are fully scalable and can be tailored to the needs of customers – making them suitable for both a wide variety of military purposes and humanitarian missions. Facilities range from trauma care right through to sophisticated, fit-for-purpose on-board hospitals.
Saab has over 30 years of experience delivering innovative health solutions.
We are also a world leader in naval systems and provide integrated systems and sub-systems for the entire maritime domain. This combination of expertise puts us in a unique position to design and build on-board hospitals that provide world-class clinical care.
Fully scalable to meet your needs
A wide range of vessels can require on-board medical services. We understand this, and our flexible approach allows customers to customise health capabilities to suit the role of individual vessels and missions. Saab Naval Hospitals can be adapted for use in a wide range of combat and support vessels, including, patrol vessels, frigates, destroyers, submarines, support and amphibious ships.
A trauma unit and ward wing can be established to meet basic medical requirements. Additional facilities can then be added to bring a vessel’s level of trauma care on par with an established land-based hospital.
Saab works closely with shipbuilders and end customers to meet the challenges of supplying medical care in rough seas.
This collaborative approach not only ensures that medical hospitals have the necessary support structures, but that patient flow is also optimised for the delivery of first-rate clinical care in these unstable conditions.
Saving lives on Norway’s KNM Maud
A key example is the KNM Maud, a support ship for the Norwegian navy that provides support and logistical services for allied missions and humanitarian crisis situations. Saab has designed and largely equipped the vessel with an on-board hospital and equipment and sub-systems. This enables it to safely and effectively respond to challenging situations, with the crew having access to world-class medical care regardless of deployment location.
Despite its small size the vessel’s intensive and trauma care capability is equal to that of a medium to large based Norwegian hospital. The ship is well equipped with facilities for operations, with an MRI-scanner, trauma care unit, intensive care unit, a pressure chamber to cater for injured divers, and an isolation ward among many others. All support systems needed to operate a hospital are also catered for, such as sterilisation of tools and equipment, a pharmacy, medical oxygen and other gases.