The HD Hyundai dense Industries shipyard company declares that if the Navy of the Republic of Poland selects its submarines in the “Orka” program, a service and repair centre for these units will be established in Poland. Koreans are besides prepared to pass on cognition and technology to Poles for the co-production of ships, and even for their independent manufacture in the future.
Following the launch of the 3 rocket frigates code-named “The Sword” program, the precedence of the naval part of the military method modernisation plan is the “Orka” program, which assumes the acquisition of submarines. This is an urgent matter, due to the fact that the Polish navy presently has only 1 submarine – ORP “Orzeł”. In addition, it is simply a unit built in the 1980s, which definitely does not meet the needs of maritime safety of Poland.
In July last year, the Armed Forces Agency asked shipbuilding companies from all over the planet to present an offer for conventional (or non-nuclear) submarines as part of the first marketplace consultations. Although the agency's representatives do not uncover details, it is known that the invitation was received by leading producers of this kind of solution: French Naval Group, Spanish Navanttia, Italian Fincantieri, German ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems, Swedish Saab Kockums and Korean HD Hyundai dense Industries (HHI) and Hanwha Ocean.
Since it is not known for the time erstwhile the tender for the acquisition of Orek will be launched, all of these entities do not halt in efforts to advance their offer. abroad shipbuilders were peculiarly active during the fresh arms fair in Kielce, where they could get acquainted with all the projects of ships proposed by Poland.
Korean Promises
One of the most active companies in the race for Orka is Korean HD Hyundai dense Industries (HHI), which is the world's largest shipbuilding company (since 1985 it has built more than 2.3 1000 units, of which more than 50 warships, including rocket destroyers, next generation frigates, corvettes and submarines of respective types).
On 8 October, HHI held a conference in Warsaw entitled "A fresh era of Polish-Korean cooperation for the Polish Navy and Polish industry". At this meeting, the Korean company not only promoted 2 types of submarines offered to Poland, i.e. HDS-3300 and HDS 2300, but besides a model of business-technology cooperation with Polish armaments.
Kim Dae-kyu, manager of the Orka program at HD Hyundai dense Industries, emphasized that his company has full rights to their submarines. Therefore, as he argued, HD HHI's proposal is the best for both our army (because the offer can be easy adapted to our tactical and method requirements) and for Polish industry.
– We can offer not only advanced ship, but besides cognition and technology for its production. In Poland, therefore, both the MRO, the service and repair centre, and the shipyard where production will take place, can be established. We have very extended experience in this kind of technology transfer to abroad entities – provided Kim Dae-kyu.
During the HD HHI conference, she signed MoU, which is simply a cooperation agreement with the Gdynia Shipbuilding Renovation SA and Shiprepair Yard SA (member of the Shipbuilding Renovation Group). By virtue of this document, if Poland decides on Korean submarines, that is where the MRO could be created for Orek, and even the production of their components (sections).
What do the Koreans propose?
HD HHI offers MWRP 2 types of submarines – larger and smaller. The larger is HDS-3300, which is 84 m long, 10 m wide, 15 m advanced and 3300 t buoyancy. Underwater it develops a maximum velocity of 20 knots, its crew consists of 45 sailors, and without being called into port it can operate as much as 50 days.
The second kind of ship, i.e. HDS-2300, is 73 m long, 8.5 m wide, 14.5 m advanced and 2300 t buoyancy. Underwater, it develops a maximum velocity of 20 knots, its crew has 25 sailors, and without being wrapped in port can besides operate 50 days.
Both HDS-3300 and HDS-2300 are equipped with an AIP combustion-electric drive, i.e. operating without air, utilizing the electrical current generated by hydrogen chemical synthesis to supply the unit.
