Germany, Italy, Sweden, or South Korea? Where will fresh submarines be yet produced for Poland? large companies outdo in presenting offers, and the representatives of the MON visit abroad shipyards and plants, gathering cognition before making final decisions. Around the “Orca” programme again became loud. Let's hope this time we can bring this thing to a happy end, due to the fact that the time for this is highly short.
The request to get fresh submarines for the Polish ruling navy began talking more than a decade ago. The Orka programme was included in further long-term plans to modernise the armed forcesBut the announcements someway failed to turn into actions. Meanwhile, the submarine stationed in Gdynia melted like snow in the spring. In 2017–2021, Kobben ships were withdrawn from service 1 by one, which, incidentally, came to Poland as a bridge solution. In another words, they were to enter the line for a moment, until the navy acquired more modern units. Eventually, under the white-red flag, they carried out tasks for respective years. And erstwhile they yet lived to see their days, the submariners started to catch their heads. For here in their esteemed squadron there is only 1 ship. Not much – alone Eagle ORP He inactive remembers the times of the Cold War, and in fresh years he spent more time in shipyards and in repair trials than in exercises.
Of course, individual could say – since the substance is slimming anyway, it might be better to quit and even wave on submarines. They're expensive, and we're already building frigates, mine destroyers, reconnaissance ships. In addition, if war breaks out in this part of Europe – knock off – and so it will take place primarily on land and in the air. It is so better to invest in tanks, aircraft and rocket systems. but reasoning like that is simply a way to nowhere. due to the fact that having submarines gives you opportunities worth all your money. What another unit can secretly pass into the specified area, fire torpedoes, or in another variant – aimed at the opponent of a rocket, and then vanish into the depths? In many cases, the crew doesn't even gotta do that. All it takes is the presence of a submarine on a given watershed, or, though suspected of being there, to paralyze the civilian shipping and origin panic in the ranks of the enemy. To track or scare specified a unit, you frequently request to engage the full squad of the ZOP – respective ships, helicopters, planes... specified weapons on The Baltic, which has late become 1 of the most delicate points on the planet mapIt's a goldweight. And let no 1 be deceived by the fact that we are talking about a tiny and comparatively shallow sea. The Baltic is an operationally dream region for submarines. The hydrological conditions here make underwater sound irregular, making the submarine hard to track. Our superior allies see the benefits of having specified units. The underwater fleet is modernised by Germany and the Swedes, and the Danish began to discuss its reconstruction. After all, Poland as a NATO state can at any time be active in helping allies at the another end of Europe. And then she'll be forced to send ships far beyond the Baltic. So to sum up – submarines in our situation are worth and should be owned.
The opinion repeated by experts is shared by MON. During the November Navy holiday, the head of the Ministry Władysław Kosiniak-Kamish publicly assured that he would do anything to get the contract for “Orki” signed by the end of 2025. And in fact, the movement has started again around the program. Representatives of the Ministry of Defence took a detour around the bases and shipyards of Europe. Since the beginning of the year they visited Sweden, Italy, Germany. In July, Deputy Minister Paweł Bejda is to scope France and Spain, as he announced in an interview with the defence portal24.pl. A delegation from the Korean Hanwha Ocean company with vice president Steve Jeong came to Warsaw a fewer days ago. The Koreans not only presented to journalists the ship offered to Poland as part of the “Orki”, but besides told about possible sources of financing of the task and prospects that a possible agreement with them would open to Polish business. It is adequate to mention that just a period earlier Hanwha signed a memo with PGZ Nauta Shipyard and Repair Shipyard. The Asian company is ready to cooperate with them during the construction of various types of vessels, and in the case of Nauta also... maintenance and repair of submarines. If, of course, Poland buys them from South Korea.
ORP Eagle in Baltic exercise, 2020.
Meanwhile, the Agency for Armed Forces has already carried out an evaluation of all tenders submitted to Poland. It assesses the proposals of Germany, Sweden and Italy. The first of the countries represented by ThyssenKrupp Marine strategy is ready to sale Poland 212CD submarines. The units have been based on a well-tested plan that has been utilized by respective European countries for years. They are to be equipped with torpedoes and projectile launchers to combat targets on water, land and possibly besides in the air. Their advantage is besides low detection and AIP, an air-independent drive that allows the ship to stay underwater longer. Swedes, specifically Saab Kockums, offer ships A26 Blekinge, which should shortly besides be fitted to the navy there. The units will have torpedo launchers, missiles and AIP drive. They were designed to operate in the shallow waters of the Baltic without problem. Moreover, peculiar units may operate from their decks. The Italian company Fincantieri, in turn, proposes a 212FNS ship – a construction based on German 212, sorry to the needs of Marina Militare. It will disagree from the output model in respective details – even the radio-electronic combat system.
These offers are besides attractive due to funding. Poland hopes that ships from European contractors will be able to buy with money from EU SAFE programme. At the same time, MON stresses that it does not close the way for negotiations before another companies. Among them are the French Naval Group, which offers Poland Scorpene ships, the Spanish Navantia with S-80+ ships, as well as the mentioned Hanwha Ocean with KSS-III units, which of the another proposals distinguishes even the size. Ships of this kind are nearly 90 m long, or more than 20 m above French or German units.
Korean ships cannot be paid with money from the EU, but... the representatives of the company prepared a different lure, namely "gap filler". Until transportation of the ordered units, Poland would have utilized the wylaasing ship KSS-I. but they are not the only ones who are tempted by the "gap filler". This issue is besides to arise in the context of talks with Germany or Italy.
However it may be, the time to make a decision remains dramatically limited. due to the fact that if by the minute of the arrival of fresh ships of the ORP “Earl” is withdrawn from service, and the sailors leave for civilians, the ability to operate underwater in the Polish navy will should be restored almost from scratch. And this is simply a waste of time that cannot be afforded in the current global situation.
