The tender for new submarines was announced on Wednesday by Deputy Prime Minister, Head of the Ministry of National Defense Mariusz Błaszczak. The purchase of such units as part of the Orka program has been included in modernization plans for years. “Deployment of the Orca program is a restoration of capabilities needed on the modern battlefield” – said the announcement of the head of the Ministry of National Defense Marek Świerczyński from Polityka Insight. “The navy is waiting for submarines,” says Mariusz Cielma, editor-in-chief of “Nowa Techniki Wojskowa”.
We are starting the implementation of the Orka program, the procedure will be launched later this year, with the aim of purchasing submarines and transferring the necessary technologies that we want to obtain through an offset order
said the minister at the Defense24 Day conference in Warsaw.
Which ships?
He announced that the Ministry will soon provide more details on the number of ships, their equipment and competencies that the contract should bring to industry and research and development centers. He emphasized that the ships should be characterized by the ability to perform long-term missions, carry many military assets, flexible configurations, and “high capabilities of high-speed stealth movement and prolonged underwater immersion.”
The ships must be able to launch torpedoes and cruise missiles that can hit targets deep in the attacker’s territory. “The enemy must be aware that in the event of an attack on our country, not only will his troops suffer heavy casualties, but we also have fangs with which to strike where he least expects it,” said the head of the Ministry of National Defense.
Polish canines
The term “Polish Fangs” in reference to long-range weapons appeared in 2012 in the modernization plans for long-range reconnaissance and destruction capabilities. It was then used in NSM anti-ship missiles, which were armed with the Coastal Missile Squadron, later the Naval Missile Unit, JASSM air-to-surface missiles for F-16 fighters, as well as long-range cruise missiles, which were to be armed with submarines.
The deputy prime minister added that the Ministry of National Defense is monitoring solutions in the world and “over the past few months we have been closely monitoring the project of Australia’s procurement of new submarines”, which envisions cooperation with the US and Britain in the construction of nuclear-powered ships.
I would like to invite partners, both from our continent and beyond, to participate in the tender, which we will announce shortly,” said the head of the Ministry of National Defense.
Interest in the “Orca” of other countries
France, Germany and Sweden showed interest in the Orca program and declared extensive industrial cooperation. The Swedish company Saab offered a ship with the A26, the German group TKMS (thyssenkrupp Marine Systems) the ships of the type 212A and 214, and the French Naval Group (formerly DCNS) – a unit of the Scorpene type armed with MBDA- cruise missiles. The French made a reservation that they did not intend to arm these ships with missiles from another manufacturer.
The purchase of new submarines has been planned for years for technical modernization.
Plans for the technical modernization of the navy
Since 2012, when the concept for naval development until 2030 was presented, the ministry announced the purchase of three ships under the Orka program. The contract was to be signed in 2013, with the first two ships to be delivered in 2022, the last in 2030.
The Orca program was one of the priorities of the technical modernization plan for 2013-2022, it was included in later plans for 2017-26 and 2021-35.
The value of the program was estimated at about PLN 10 billion. Over time, the concept of acquiring four ships appeared, and long-range cruise missile armament was also included in the requirements. A joint purchase with Norway or the Netherlands was also considered to reduce program costs.
At the end of 2017, the Ministry of National Defense – then headed by Antoni Macierewicz – announced that the decision on the selection of a strategic partner in the Orca submarine acquisition program would be made in January 2018. In early January 2018, Mariusz Błaszczak replaced Macierewicz as head of the ministry.
In August 2019, the Ministry of National Defense informed that “an analytical and conceptual phase is underway, which is to determine the method of acquiring new submarines for the Navy”, while working to procure a submarine as part of a bridging solution. which was to allow the maintenance of trained crews and the ability to operate submarines after the old units were withdrawn.
Bridging solutions
In 2020, the government reported talks with Sweden to make the modernized A17/Södermanland ships available as a bridging solution until the final solution and purchase of new ships.
In February 2021, the Ministry of National Defense announced that the navy will first receive a new coastal defense vessel under the Miecznik program, and the purchase of used submarines is subject to the Swedish offer, including the price and delivery date. At that time, the Ministry envisioned the receipt of two new submarines by 2034; there was still talk of a lease ending in the purchase of two used, upgraded A17 units as a bridging solution.
In December 2021, ORP Sęp and ORP Bielik were taken out of service – the last two Kobben-class submarines. Currently, Poland has only one submarine left – ORP Orzeł, designed in the USSR and launched in 1985.
“A very good communication”
It is very good that this has been announced, we will follow further developments, because for now we only know that the focused political will to review the purchase of submarines has been expressed
– commented on the announcements of the head of the Ministry of National Defense Marek Świerczyński from Polityka Insight for PAP.
Let us remind you that Minister Błaszczak promised to end this program when there was talk of second-hand ships
— said the expert, referring to negotiations on the repair and modernization of ships from Sweden as a bridge solution. He recalled that this happened after the decision was changed, because “Błaszczak’s predecessor, Antoni Macierewicz, wanted to buy ships with at least part of them built in Poland.”
“We are returning to this capacity at sea, which is extremely necessary, even mandatory.”
According to Świerczyński: “we are returning to the starting point and to this capacity, which is one of the most limited, de facto does not exist, and which – as the situation in the Baltic Sea, the Black Sea and the global ocean shows – is extremely necessary, even mandatory, when we talk about the so-called multi-domain battlefield He emphasized that the submarine “is the most difficult platform to detect of all combat platforms, everything else is easier to observe.”
He drew attention to the many tasks that such a unit can perform.
A submarine is a platform for weapons, reconnaissance, secret patrols, special forces that can be placed anywhere in the coastal waters or the world ocean and perform several tasks, often many at once
– he said.
It can carry long-range missiles that start from under water and are therefore difficult to locate, which is of course a very big advantage
– added.
The use of the term “canines” by the head of the Ministry of National Defense in connection with the long-range armaments that the ships of the Orca program must have, shows – according to Świerczyński – “that the Deputy Prime Minister admits that certain plans that made many years ago and not yet performed, are still valid and become significant.
This is a positive statement
he assessed.
“It is good that the needs of the submarine squadron have also been taken into account.”
Mariusz Cielma, editor-in-chief of Nowa Technika Wojskowa, has a similar opinion.
The fleet is looking for a new generation of submarines, because not only operational capacities, but also organizational and personnel capacities are disappearing. One ship we have – ORP Orzeł – which is not capable of performing operational tasks, does not even minimally meet the needs, does not meet the requirements necessary to meet the enemy
Cielma said.
It is good that the needs of the submarine squadron have also been taken into account in the many modernization programs
– added.
He also positively assessed the announcement of the tender. He noted that “a tender procedure may take longer, but tenders, i.e. competitive procedures, usually allow for a better price and benefits to the economy.”
As the activities in Ukraine also show, the Polish Navy should have submarines. It is easy to imagine what problems the Black Sea Fleet would have if the Ukrainians had at least one operational submarine
he noticed.
New equipment for the submarine squadron is needed, especially since the Polish state today invests heavily in armaments, has launched special financial programs, so funds for this task must also be found
Cielma said.
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rm/PAP
Source: wPolityce