Poland’s defense ministry has finalized the selection of Swedish Kockums‑built submarines for its Orka program, with an older used vessel slated to join the fleet in 2027, and a new A26 model expected in 2030.
2027 Interim Submarine – A Used Swedish Warship
Poland will acquire an older used Swedish submarine in 2027 to supplement its fleet temporarily. The offer is a vessel of the A19 class, the Ostergotland, launched in 1988, upgraded at the turn of the century and into 2021, and currently held in reserve.
2030 First New A26 Submarine
The first new submarine, the A26, is projected to enter service in 2030. The defence minister indicated the price would exceed 10 billion zloty. Delivery dates have slipped, now set for 2031 and 2033, with costs escalating to about three times the original estimate.
The Final Stage of a Protracted Process
A special task force comprising representatives from the army, the Ministry of National Defence, the Ministry of Finance, and the State Assets Authority reviewed government proposals. The group’s recommendation closed the decade‑long debate that began with the first official mention of Orka in 2012. Emotions ran high, given the potential multi‑billion‑zloty cost and the perception that Orka has become a symbol of a deteriorating Polish Navy.
Poland’s Shrinking Submarine Fleet
The navy’s active submarine complement has fallen from five to one. The lone vessel, ORP Orzeł, spent most of its service time docked in Gdynia and suffered an undetermined breakdown while en route to Świnoujście in 2023, as confirmed by Defense24.pl. With 40 years of service and difficulties obtaining spare parts, the ship now serves mainly as a symbolic training platform.
Swedish Offer – Opportunity and Risk
Only new Swedish submarines available are A26 units. The program began in 2010, was halted in 2014 over disputes with shipbuilder Kockums and its German owner Thyssen Krupp, and resumed a year later when Saab acquired Kockums. Planned deliveries in 2024/25 were delayed to 2031/2033, with major cost overruns and design challenges, including older air‑intake‑independent propulsion (AIP) and lead‑acid batteries. Sweden is already developing an A30 generation; four of those may be sold after A26s are delivered.
