Poland seems to be moving very slowly on its "ORKA" Project to buy 3 medium sized submarines to replace its decrepid Kobben class subs (on average 54 year old with 2 (ORP Sokół and ORP Bielik)
operating and 1 (ORP Kobben) training and Poland's 1 x 33 year old Kilo class sub.
If Poland has survived with such old subs against mainly land threat Russia and Belarus does Poland need subs at all?
The most serious contenders in submarine competition ORKA seem to be:
- French Naval Group Scorpenes. Reuters, January 25, 2017 reported along the lines Poland's state-
run defense firm PGZ has signed an MoU with Naval Group that could allow them to work together
on building submarines in Poland, AND
Sweden's Saab, marketing the A26, appears to have made little competitive progress since SubMatts reported on it in February 10, 2017.
Pete
operating and 1 (ORP Kobben) training and Poland's 1 x 33 year old Kilo class sub.
If Poland has survived with such old subs against mainly land threat Russia and Belarus does Poland need subs at all?
The most serious contenders in submarine competition ORKA seem to be:
- French Naval Group Scorpenes. Reuters, January 25, 2017 reported along the lines Poland's state-
run defense firm PGZ has signed an MoU with Naval Group that could allow them to work together
on building submarines in Poland, AND
- German TKMS Type 212CDs. SubMatts reported July 6, 2016: "In June 2016 Germany
and Poland signed an MoU to establish a joint submarine operating command to be based
in Glucksburg, Germany...
and Poland signed an MoU to establish a joint submarine operating command to be based
in Glucksburg, Germany...
Sweden's Saab, marketing the A26, appears to have made little competitive progress since SubMatts reported on it in February 10, 2017.
On September 25, 2018 "Nick" provided a link and a Youtube on the TKMS, Naval Group and Saab submarine competitors displays at the Balt Military Expo 2018. This Expo, held in close co-operation with the Polish Ministry of Defense and Navy, took place, June 25-27, 2018, at Gdansk on Poland’s Baltic coast.
I don't know if the Polish Defense Ministry or Navy at the Expo, said anything formally or informally that might clarify who is likely to win the submarine competition?
Maybe Poland is looking for the lowest price as TKMS, Naval Group and Saab bid their way downwards or Poland has simply shelved buying subs for a few years?
Pete