Polish submariners head to Karlskrona as the rebuild of the fleet gathers pace

The first group of Polish sailors has begun training at the Swedish naval base in Karlskrona, preparing to crew a vessel due to sail under the Polish flag within two years. The Swedish Navy confirmed the news on 19 August, noting the programme launched just 49 days after the contract was signed and earlier than originally planned. It marks one of the most significant steps in Orka, Poland's programme to rebuild its submarine capability after years of decline.

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20 august 2026   |   15:52   |   Source: Gazeta Morska   |   Prepared by: Kamil Kusier   |   Print

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A deal three decades in the making

On 29 June 2026 in Gdynia, Poland's Armament Agency signed a contract with Swedish defence group Saab for three new A26 Blekinge-class submarines for the Polish Navy. The contract is worth roughly 47 billion Swedish kronor. The signing ceremony was attended by Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, who stressed the importance of the Polish-Swedish alliance within NATO and the European Union.

The decision to choose Sweden as Orka's partner was made back on 28 November 2025, with the June signing in Gdynia formalising that earlier agreement. The deal covers far more than construction. It also includes a weapons package, crew training and long-term operational support, along with a transfer of technology to Poland. As part of the arrangement, Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa and Saab will form a joint venture responsible for servicing and developing submarine technology domestically.

What the A26 brings to the table

The A26-class vessels measure 66.1 metres in length and 6.75 metres in width, with a surface displacement of around 1,925 tonnes. Air-independent propulsion, or AIP, lets them stay submerged far longer than conventional diesel-electric boats, making them well suited to the Baltic's shallow, acoustically difficult waters. Endurance stands at 45 days, and a standard crew numbers 17 to 26, with room for additional personnel on board.

Armament includes 533mm torpedo tubes. A notable feature is a dedicated dock enabling operations with unmanned underwater vehicles and the transport of special forces personnel, considerably widening the vessels' role beyond classic anti-surface and anti-submarine tasks.

Under the current schedule, the first A26 is due to reach the Polish Navy in 2031-2032, with delivery of all three vessels completed by 2038. Full operational capability tailored to the Baltic's specific conditions is targeted for that same year.

Why the bridge matters as much as the destination

Even so, up to six years will pass between signing the contract and receiving the first A26, and Poland's submarine fleet already faces a serious gap. The only submarine currently in service is ORP Orzeł, a Project 877E Kilo-class vessel built in the Soviet Union back in 1985. At 72.6 metres long with a surface displacement of 2,460 tonnes, its age means it spends most of its time in shipyards under repair. Poland's older Type 207 (Kobben-class) boats were retired some years ago.

Withdrawing Orzeł from service without a replacement would leave Poland without underwater capability, even temporarily, and rebuilding that gap, along with the invaluable experience of trained crews, would take years to recover. That is why a bridging solution, leasing a used A17-class boat, became a key part of the agreement.

HMS Södermanland to sail under the Polish flag

That bridging vessel is HMS Södermanland, a modernised A17-class submarine currently being prepared by Swedish defence procurement agency FMV and Saab. It carries AIP propulsion and, like the new A26s, is well suited to Baltic conditions while retaining the ability to operate in the Atlantic or the Norwegian Sea.

Södermanland is fitted with six 533mm torpedo tubes and three 400mm tubes. The vessel can conduct operations against surface and underwater targets, carry out reconnaissance and observation missions, and lay naval mines. Its crew numbers between 24 and 28 sailors.

The six-year lease agreement is worth approximately 800 million zloty. Under the arrangement, the vessel is due to be handed over to Poland in 2027, once crew training under Swedish Navy supervision is complete, with the operational lease itself beginning in 2028.

Training got underway ahead of schedule

It is this vessel that the first group of Polish sailors is now training to crew. The training is being run by the 1st Submarine Flotilla at the Karlskrona naval base, the same unit whose expertise is also feeding into preparations for future A26 crews. Swedish armed forces have noted the programme began earlier than originally planned.

The preparations go beyond technical and tactical subjects. An integral part of the training is intensive instruction in specialist English, essential for operating advanced onboard systems and working alongside foreign instructors. For Polish crews, the priority is gaining first-hand experience operating an AIP-powered vessel. Swedish specialists note that the technology fundamentally changes how operations are conducted, how patrols are planned and how energy is managed on board, experience that is expected to feed directly into A26 operations once those vessels enter service.

A programme not without controversy

The choice of Swedish vessels has not been without debate. Sweden's own A26 programme has suffered significant delays. The contract to build the first two A26 boats at the Saab Kockums yard in Karlskrona was signed back in 2015, with an initial construction cost of 8.6 billion kronor. The two vessels were originally due to enter service in 2022-2024. In 2021, however, those dates slipped to 2027-2028, with commissioning now expected in 2028-2029.

Despite the delays, Polish officials have consistently maintained that the choice of Sweden as Orka's partner was based on an objective assessment of all the key criteria, including delivery timeline, cost, combat value and the ability to operate in the Baltic's specific, shallow and acoustically demanding waters.

The road to 2038

The Orka programme's timeline currently looks as follows: Polish crew training in Sweden is due to wrap up by 2027, after which HMS Södermanland will sail under the Polish flag, with operational leasing beginning in 2028. In parallel, construction continues on the three A26 boats, the first of which is due to reach the Polish Navy in 2031-2032, with the last following by 2038.

For a submarine fleet that has spent years relying on effectively a single, ageing vessel, this represents a rebuilding effort the Polish Navy has not seen in decades. Retired Lieutenant General Jarosław Gromadziński, speaking to Euronews in December 2025, described the decision to acquire A26-class submarines as widely welcomed within military circles. The start of training in Karlskrona, just 49 days after the contract was signed, suggests both sides are now as focused on pace of delivery as on the terms of the agreement itself.

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