Poland has selected Saab’s A26 Blekinge-class submarine as the preferred replacement for its last remaining Soviet-era Kilo-class vessel, marking a significant step in the country’s long-delayed Orca submarine program. The Swedish platform was chosen from six international contenders, including proposals from France’s Naval Group, Germany’s thyssenKrupp Marine Systems, Italy’s Fincantieri, South Korea’s Hanwha Ocean, and Spain’s Navantia. Although a final contract has yet to be signed, Warsaw plans to procure three submarines in a package valued at roughly 10 billion złoty ($2.52 billion).
The A26 design features a length of 65 meters and a surface displacement of around 2,000 tonnes, supporting a standard crew of 26 with accommodation for up to 35 personnel, including special operations teams. The diesel-electric submarine uses a Stirling air-independent propulsion (AIP) system, allowing it to remain submerged for more than 18 days—an advantage in high-threat, sonar-intense environments such as the Baltic Sea.
Saab’s A26 is engineered for multi-mission flexibility, capable of deploying unmanned underwater vehicles, laying mines, conducting intelligence gathering, and executing both anti-surface and anti-submarine warfare. Its “extremely low” acoustic footprint enables it to navigate contested waters undetected, offering Poland a stealthy reconnaissance and strike asset in a region marked by increasing maritime tensions.
Armament includes long-range precision torpedoes and missiles capable of striking underwater, surface, and land-based targets. The submarine also features advanced soft-kill systems centered on “underwater information warfare,” which uses electronic tools to disrupt hostile sensors and communications. With these capabilities, the A26 provides Poland with a modern, resilient platform designed for future maritime security challenges.
