Following the announcement made in November last year selecting the Swedish offer for submarines under the “Orka” programme, the process is now awaiting signature of the executive contract for the new units that are to enhance the combat potential of the Polish Navy. Before the first of these enters service, Poland is to acquire, under a lease arrangement, an older submarine to ensure continuity of crew training and the execution of underwater tasks.

Maintaining uninterrupted training of submarine personnel and sustaining operational capability constitutes a significant challenge for the Polish Navy. Only one submarine remains in service — the nearly 40-year-old ORP Orzeł, constructed in the former USSR. Difficulties in procuring spare parts, combined with challenges in recruitment for submarine service, raise concerns as to whether the Submarine Squadron of the 3rd Ship Flotilla will be able to maintain operational continuity. The decision of the Ministry of National Defence, announced in November last year, to procure submarines from one bidder under a government-to-government framework is intended to conclude years of delay.

The first new submarine is scheduled to enter service by 2030, followed by two additional units. These vessels belong to the A26 series. The executive contract is expected to be concluded in the first half of this year. The contractor will be Saab Kockums, headquartered in Karlskrona.

It should be noted that prior to the commissioning of the new submarines, crews must undergo preparatory training tailored to the future platform. According to the press office of Svenska Marinen, this involves not only courses and joint sea deployments, but also the leasing of a used submarine. Accordingly, a Polish delegation headed by the Inspector of the Navy, Vice Admiral Jarosław Ziemiański, visited Sweden last year. During the visit, meetings were held with Rear Admiral Johan Norlén, Commander of the Swedish Fleet, and Commander Paula Wallenburg, Commanding Officer of the 1st Submarine Flotilla.

In addition to visits to the submarine base and onboard inspections, the Polish delegation reviewed the facilities of the Naval Warfare School and examined how the Swedish Navy previously trained Singaporean submarine crews in Karlskrona. Between 2011 and 2013, Singapore acquired two second-hand Västergötland-class submarines (designated locally as the Archer class).

Under the interim leasing arrangement, the submarine to be transferred to the Polish Navy is HMS Södermanland, commissioned in 1988 and belonging to the same series, also designated A17. Following an extensive overhaul, the unit returned to regular service in 2024 and has since participated in national and international naval exercises, as well as routine operational deployments. The vessel is already familiar to Polish submariners through joint training activities and courtesy visits.

The submarine is expected to be transferred to Poland next year as a bridging capability. The question remains how long it would serve under the Polish ensign, given the anticipated delivery timeline of the first new A26 (Blekinge-class) submarine. Although the plan envisages delivery by 2030, doubts persist regarding potential delays. The lead Swedish unit, HMS Blekinge, has been under construction since 2015, with keel laying in 2021. Keel laying for the second vessel, HMS Skåne, has yet to take place. Updated schedules published last year indicate deliveries between 2031 and 2035, prompting scepticism among commentators as to whether a 2030 delivery for Poland is feasible.

Swedish naval authorities underline that bilateral cooperation already encompasses coastal defence systems equipped with anti-ship missiles and the construction of signals intelligence vessels under the “Delfin” programme. The partnership is now being extended to submarines, with anticipated benefits for both nations. Polish companies, including Famor and HG Solutions, are already cooperating with Saab on A26 units for the Swedish Navy, with this industrial collaboration expected to expand under Poland’s Orka contract.

HMS Södermanland has an overall length of 60.5 metres and a surfaced displacement of 1,400 tonnes (1,500 tonnes submerged). The complement numbers 28 personnel. The vessel achieves 8 knots on the surface and 15 knots submerged. Its tested diving depth is 300 metres. The propulsion plant comprises two Hedemora diesel generators, two Kockums V4-275R Stirling engines (air-independent propulsion), an ASEA electric motor and two Jeumont Schneider generators rated at 740 kW each. Armament consists of six 533 mm and three 400 mm torpedo tubes, with a loadout of 12 Type 621 heavyweight torpedoes and six Type 452 lightweight torpedoes. The submarine can also be configured to carry up to 22 naval mines.