Poland Picks Saab A26 Submarine to Boost Naval Power
Poland has officially selected Sweden’s Saab A26 submarine as the foundation of its future underwater capabilities, marking a significant step in its strategic defense posture amid growing regional security concerns. As reported in “Poland selects Sweden’s Saab A26 as future submarine” by Breaking Defense, the decision concludes Warsaw’s Orka submarine program competition, long anticipated within European defense circles.
The Saab A26, a next-generation conventional submarine, was chosen over competing designs from France’s Naval Group and Germany’s Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems. The selection underscores Poland’s intent to strengthen maritime deterrence in the increasingly contested Baltic Sea while deepening military-industrial ties with Stockholm. As NATO allies, both countries have prioritized regional security cooperation, especially following Sweden’s formal accession to NATO in 2023.
Saab has committed to delivering three A26 submarines through a deal valued at over €2 billion. The agreement includes technology transfer, local industry partnerships, and long-term support and maintenance packages. According to Breaking Defense, the submarines will be equipped with advanced stealth technology, air-independent propulsion, and a robust suite of sensors and weapons systems—capabilities tailored to the shallow and acoustically complex Baltic environment.
Polish defense officials hailed the contract as a milestone in modernizing their naval fleet, replacing the aging Kobben-class submarines retired in recent years. Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz emphasized the A26’s capacity to conduct intelligence, surveillance, and special forces operations, as well as its potential for anti-surface and anti-submarine warfare—core mission requirements outlined in the Orka program.
The collaboration carries broader geopolitical implications. With tensions persisting in Eastern Europe, particularly following Russia’s continued aggression in Ukraine, Poland has accelerated its overall defense investments, seeking to become a linchpin of NATO’s eastern flank. The choice of a Scandinavian supplier over larger Western European firms further signals Poland’s willingness to cultivate regional defense autonomy within the NATO framework.
Industry analysts view the Saab deal as a pivotal export win for the Swedish defense sector. Notably, the A26 has yet to be delivered even to the Swedish Navy, which is currently scheduled to field its first boats later this decade. The Polish order constitutes a resounding vote of confidence in the design, potentially paving the way for additional regional partnerships.
With deliveries projected to begin in the early 2030s, the A26 submarines are set to become a cornerstone of Poland’s maritime defense strategy well into the middle of the century. For Saab and Warsaw alike, the deal represents not only a commercial contract but a strategic convergence of national security priorities in a cascading era of geopolitical uncertainty.
