Poland is to receive three new submarines. They are being built by Saab. According to the Polish Ministry of Defence, the Swedes were the only ones to meet the Polish Navy’s requirements.
The purchase agreement was signed as part of Polish-Swedish intergovernmental consultations. The prime ministers of both countries were present at the signing ceremony. Alongside Donald Tusk and Ulf Kristersson, the defence ministers Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz and Pål Jonson also took part in the ceremony. This took place at the Gdynia naval base on board the “ORP Kościuszko”.
The contract, worth around €4.1 billion, covers the purchase of three A26-class submarines. The Polish government is procuring the submarines as part of the “Orka” programme.
Poland and Sweden share responsibility for security and for establishing a new security architecture for the Baltic Sea, NATO and the European Union, said Polish Defence Minister Kosiniak-Kamysz at the signing of the contract.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk emphasised that the significance of the contract extends far beyond defence and bilateral cooperation. Sweden is one of the leading countries in terms of technology within the defence industry.
“Despite its relatively recent NATO membership, our cooperation in the Baltic Sea has brought about a qualitative change in the security situation. We share the same assessment of the situation across the entire region, stand united in our support for Ukraine against Russian aggression, and are convinced that the Baltic Sea must be a safe space – free from shadow fleets, provocations and military threats,” said Tusk.
Sweden was in the lead with its bids
As early as 28 November 2025, the Polish Council of Ministers had adopted the recommendations of a working group that had assessed the bids received as part of a market sounding for new submarines for the Polish Navy. The government subsequently decided to purchase three submarines from Sweden as part of the “Orka” programme.
According to the Polish government, the Swedish bid was the only one to meet all the Navy’s requirements. The submarines are to be built with the involvement of Polish shipyards. Until the new submarines enter service, Polish crews are to be trained on a so-called “gap filler” – a submarine of identical design that will be made available in advance. This will allow training to begin much earlier.
30 years on hold
The “Orka” programme had to wait around three decades to be implemented, said Kosiniak-Kamysz. It was only under the current government, led by Donald Tusk, that the project was successfully brought to a conclusion.
Under the terms of the signed contract, Poland will receive three fifth-generation A26-class submarines. According to the Defence Minister, these are the most modern submarines for operations in the Baltic Sea. They are designed for both naval tasks and special forces operations. Furthermore, they will be able to deploy swarms of drones controlled directly from the submarine. In addition, they are intended to contribute to the surveillance of critical infrastructure and the security architecture in the Baltic Sea.
Further investments
According to the Polish Minister of Defence, the agreement with Sweden also includes extensive investment in the Polish economy. This includes investment in the Polish defence industry and the construction of the rescue vessel ‘Ratownik’ for the Royal Swedish Navy.
Furthermore, Swedish companies – foremost among them Saab – will invest in Poland. The establishment of production lines in Poland is said to be the first agreement of its kind based on a government decision and subsequent negotiations between companies in the defence industry. “I am very proud and grateful to everyone who has made this historic moment possible,” said Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz.
More about the “Orka” programme:
