In Gdynia, the head of the Ministry of National Defense, Deputy Prime Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, outlined a plan that signals a major shift in Poland’s defense posture. He confirmed the decision to bring drone forces into service in early 2025, a move meant to extend Poland’s reach across air, land, sea, and cyber-enabled domains. The pledge also includes strenuous work to secure a contract for modern submarines within 2025 as part of the Orka program, a cornerstone of the country’s long-term naval modernization. He also announced ongoing upgrades for the ORP Ślązak, the navy’s corvette, and a fresh effort to push forward with the Ratownik rescue vessel project, a program that has faced pauses in recent years. The overall message is that the armed forces are intensifying their modernization push while aligning procurement with a clear timetable. Officials stressed that the changes will require careful planning, adequate industrial capacity, and tight coordination with international partners to maximize strategic impact.
Drone troops
During Navy Day in Gdynia, the defense minister described the drone detachments as a multi-domain force concept. The plan envisions drones operating across air, land, surface, and underwater environments, with the Navy taking responsibility for the surface and subsurface components. The approach reflects a reconnaissance-to-action chain that can respond quickly to evolving threats and improve situational awareness across fleets. Kosiniak-Kamysz noted that the mass production of the newest drones requires a solid, adaptive strategy because technology evolves rapidly, sometimes within weeks. He emphasized that drone systems cannot be bought off the shelf; nevertheless, maintaining a reserve stock of aircraft remains prudent for use in the most demanding scenarios. The emphasis is on building a resilient industrial base that can sustain production, maintenance, and upgrades over time while keeping pace with international manufacturers and emerging competitors. This balance between readiness and scalability is presented as essential for ensuring operational effectiveness in any conflict scenario.
Modern submarines
Kosiniak-Kamysz also said during the Navy Day celebration that there are already partners who have submitted offers as part of the Polish purchase of modern submarines under the Orka program. The process seeks a partner capable of delivering submarines that meet strategic needs while integrating with allied standards and joint exercises within Atlantic alliance networks. Potential bidders include Sweden, Germany (either alone or together with Norway), France, Spain, and South Korea. Officials indicated that the ministry will conduct an intensive period of evaluation in the coming weeks and months to identify a preferred partner, with contracts expected to be signed in the following year. The head of the Ministry of National Defense also informed about the modernization of the ORP Ślązak corvette, planned for next year. The corvette, today focused on patrol duties, will gain reconnaissance and combat capabilities in 2025. He added that the ministry will sign a contract this year for the construction of a rescue ship under the Ratownik project. The Ratownik initiative was briefly paused in 2020 and then paused again in 2022 after resuming. This set of steps reflects a careful, disciplined approach to expanding Poland’s maritime capabilities and resilience across the Baltic region [official briefing].