Swedish PM Hails Polish Submarine Deal as Step Toward ‘Greater’ Baltic Security

Poland and Sweden are set to take “greater responsibility for security in the Baltic Sea” after Warsaw chose a Swedish bidder to supply three new submarines, the Nordic country’s prime minister said.

On Wednesday, Poland announced it had selected to buy Saab’s A26 Blekinge-class “fifth-generation” submarines under its Orka program in a deal worth around 2.36 billion euros.

Polish Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz said the decision followed a review of bids from six countries and that the Swedish offer was judged the most suitable for operations in the Baltic Sea.

He added that Warsaw hopes to sign an intergovernmental agreement by the end of the year, with the first submarine expected to arrive in 2030.

‘Poland and Sweden share a common view’

Following the announcement, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said that Poland’s choice reflects the deepening political, defense and industrial cooperation between the two countries, adding: “Poland and Sweden share a common view of the challenges to European security.”

“Together, Sweden and Poland will take greater responsibility for security in the Baltic Sea,” he wrote on the X platform.

“In a time of uncertainty for our entire region, we are now strengthening our part of the world together,” he added.

Saab CEO Micael Johansson said that the Swedish submarines, designed specifically for the conditions of the Baltic Sea, are the right choice for Poland.

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“Our offer will significantly improve the operational capabilities of the Polish Navy and bring benefits to the Polish economy,” Johansson said in a statement on the company’s website.

What can Poland expect?

The A26 Blekinge-class craft, touted by Saab as the world’s first fifth-generation submarine, are among the most advanced non-nuclear vessels in Europe, designed for stealth operations in the shallow waters of the Baltic Sea.

They feature air-independent propulsion that allows them to remain submerged for extended periods, as well as advanced sensors, modern strike capabilities and a modular design that supports special-forces operations.

The procurement marks a major step forward in Poland’s effort to modernize its naval fleet, which currently operates only one such vessel—the Soviet-era ORP Orzeł.

Strengthening Europe’s vulnerable sea

It also strengthens Poland’s long-term plan to reinforce defenses along the Baltic Sea, Europe’s most sensitive maritime region.

Swedish Defense Minister Pål Jonson said on Wednesday that the agreement with Poland “creates a joint system for underwater operations in the Baltic Sea and strengthens interoperability between the Swedish and Polish navies.”He emphasized that expanding cooperation in the Baltic is “more important than ever” given the most serious security environment in Europe since the end of World War II.

Criss-crossed by energy and communication cables—and a major route for Russian naval and commercial shipping—the Baltic has become the frontline of a tense standoff between the West and Russia since Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Since then, the region has seen at least six suspected sabotage incidents, and 11 undersea cables have been damaged or disabled. European officials have blamed Moscow, calling the incidents part of Russia’s “hybrid war,” although the Kremlin has denied responsibility.

Earlier, Kosiniak-Kamysz said that the decision to select Sweden as the partner for acquiring new submarines “builds a new security architecture in the Baltic.”Poland has been ramping up investment in its armed forces since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, and the deal under the Orka submarine program is one of the biggest so far among a raft of purchases.