Poland orders three Swedish submarines to strengthen its naval defence amid Russian tensions

Poland and Sweden signed a €4.2 billion arms deal on June 29, 2026, for three A26 Blekinge-class submarines to be delivered between 2030 and 2038, with Poland receiving temporary use of HMS Södermanland until then. The diesel-electric submarines are designed for Baltic Sea operations and can remain underwater for days in complete silence. Poland currently operates only one aging Russian submarine, making this purchase critical to its naval modernization as NATO members strengthen defenses amid Russian aggression in Ukraine and uncertainty about US security commitments under President Trump. Saab will establish maintenance facilities in Poland operated with local companies to enhance Polish defense autonomy.

Poland-Sweden submarine deal

• ▪Companies from France, Germany, Italy, South Korea and Spain submitted bids for the Poland submarine contract.
• ▪Saab will open maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facilities in Poland to support the submarine deal.
• ▪Poland and Sweden signed a €4.2 billion ($4.8 billion) arms deal on June 29, 2026, at a ceremony in the Polish seaport of Gdynia on the Baltic Sea.
• ▪Poland's State Treasury Armaments Agency ordered the purchase of three new submarines from Swedish aerospace and defense contractor Saab.
• ▪Poland currently has only one submarine, an aging Russian vessel.
• ▪Saab will supply three A26, or Blekinge-class vessels, as well as a weapons package, and training and maintenance packages to Poland.
• ▪Saab's maintenance, repair and overhaul facilities in Poland will be operated in collaboration with Polish companies to enhance Polish defense autonomy.

European defense buildup

• ▪Europe's NATO member states have been seeking to bulk up their own defenses amid growing doubts about US commitment to their security under President Donald Trump.
• ▪Europe's NATO member states have been seeking to bulk up their own defenses amid Russia's military aggression against Ukraine.

A26 submarine capabilities

• ▪The A26-class submarines are diesel-electric vessels that can remain underwater for days.
• ▪The A26-class submarines can operate in complete silence and remain undetected.
• ▪The A26-class submarines are designed to meet the demands of the Baltic Sea.

Submarine delivery timeline

• ▪Warsaw's navy will be given use of the Swedish submarine HMS Södermanland to bridge the gap between now and 2030.
• ▪Saab will begin delivering the submarines to Poland in 2030.
• ▪Saab will deliver the final submarine to Poland in 2038.

Baltic Sea security cooperation

• ▪Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk praised defense collaboration with Sweden.
• ▪Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson stated that a strong Polish submarine force strengthens security in the shared Baltic Sea and across NATO as a whole.
• ▪Saab CEO Micael Johansson stated that the submarines will play a pivotal role in enhancing security in the Baltic region.
• ▪Saab CEO Micael Johansson stated that the submarines will strengthen the strategic partnership between NATO partner nations Sweden and Poland.

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