WARSAW, Poland — Poland and the Baltic states are accelerating efforts to acquire new submarines and vessels that will broaden their capabilities suitable for the sea’s shallow waters.
In Poland, Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, the country’s deputy prime minister and defense minister, has said his ministry aims to order between three and four new submarines for the Polish Navy until the end of this year. The planned procurement, which is pursued under the Orka (Orca) program, is deemed urgent, as the country’s naval forces rely on a single Soviet-designed submarine, the Kilo-class ORP Orzel, whose outdated technology and equipment makes it incompatible with the requirements of modern naval warfare.
While a number of countries are competing to secure the potential order from Warsaw, the ministry has disclosed that its experts assigned the highest scores to the offers placed by Germany, Sweden and Italy.
In 2023, Poland unveiled that 11 entities took part in a market consultation. Known competitors include France’s Naval Group, German ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems, Italy’s Fincantieri, Spain’s Navantia, South Korea’s Hanwha Ocean and Hyundai, Sweden’s Saab, and the U.K.’s Babcock.
A spokesperson for the Polish ministry told Defense News that, while three offers have received the highest scores from the Polish Armaments Agency, the military’s procurement arm, the remaining submarines have not been discarded amid ongoing talks with foreign governments.
“Currently, government-level talks are being held. Following the decision of the Technical Modernization Council, the Armaments Agency will take steps with the aim to acquire these submarines,” the spokesperson said.
Meanwhile, Latvia and Lithuania have joined forces to buy multipurpose attack boats from Finnish shipbuilder Marine Alutech. Under the Common Future Multipurpose Attack Craft (CFMAC) program, the shipyard is to develop and deliver combat vessels based on the Watercat M18 design to the two Baltic States’ militaries.
“This contract is the second step after the 2024 Technical Agreement between Latvia, Lithuania and Finland to strengthen regional defense. Under this contract, Lithuania will acquire two advanced Fast Multirole Attack Crafts from Marine Alutech,” the Finnish shipbuilder said in a statement.
A spokesperson for the Lithuanian Ministry of National Defence told Defense News the two multirole attack craft that are to be built for the country’s Navy will be integrated into the Coastal Defense Battalion.
The acquisition “will significantly enhance Lithuania’s naval defense capabilities. These vessels will feature advanced combat systems, including Spike NLOS missile launchers and a remote heavy machine gun control system, which will enable them to engage both maritime and land-based targets effectively,” the ministry’s representative said.
“Furthermore, the boats are specially designed for operations in shallow waters, allowing them to perform missions in areas such as the Curonian Lagoon, where conventional vessels may struggle. This unique design and propulsion system will ensure that Lithuania can maintain a rapid response capacity for a variety of threats, ranging from asymmetric warfare to traditional defense operations,” the spokesperson added.
The vessels are scheduled to enter service in the Lithuanian Navy in late 2026.
“The Lithuanian Ministry of National Defence has plans to further expand and modernize naval capabilities in the coming years. Between 2030 and 2037, Lithuania is preparing for a progressive modernization of its naval fleet,” said the ministry representative. “This initiative will include the acquisition of new multirole offshore patrol vessels, which will be equipped with advanced capabilities to address evolving security challenges.”
Based in Teijo, on the Finnish Baltic Sea shore, Marine Alutech says that its shipyard has built more than 500 vessels since 1985.
Jaroslaw Adamowski is the Poland correspondent for Defense News.