Poland plans to order three submarines from Sweden

Poland has decided to order three new submarines from Sweden.

“The Swedish offer was the only one that met all the requirements of our navy,” Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz said on Wednesday.

The order is for three Saab A26 Blekinge-class submarines. Kosiniak-Kamysz said the contract is to be signed by the end of the year.

Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson emphasized that his country and Poland are in agreement regarding the challenges to European security. Together, they will assume greater responsibility for security in the Baltic Sea, he explained on the social media platform X.

Saab is one of Europe’s largest defence contractors. The company also manufactures the advanced Jas 39 Gripen fighter jet, of which Ukraine plans to purchase 100 to 150 of the latest version.

Kristersson and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a memorandum of understanding to this effect about a month ago.

Kristersson described Saab’s submarine programme as “world-leading.”

Companies from Germany, France, Spain, Italy and South Korea were also in the running for the Polish contract.

Poland is upgrading its armed forces in the face of a heightened threat from Russia following its invasion of Ukraine.

The Polish Navy currently has only one submarine, which dates from Soviet times.