Poland Buys Ultra-Stealthy Submarines From Sweden

In an increasingly tense Baltic Sea security environment, Sweden and Poland are strengthening their naval capabilities with new acquisitions: Poland is buying Sweden's A-26 class submarine, and Sweden will be buying a new class of frigate, its largest surface combatant in years.

The sub acquisition will be a game-changer for Poland's small navy, which currently operates just one Cold War-era Kilo-class submarine. The Saab-built A-26 sub design won out over a panoply of well-qualified competitors, from Thyssenkrupp to Hanwha Ocean to Navantia. The all-in price for three hulls is reported to be about $2.5 billion.

The A-26 is purpose built for the shallows of the Baltic Sea, and for an unusual degree of stealth. As a diesel-electric vessel, it does have to periodically surface, but not very often. It has an advanced air-independent propulsion system that can provide power for weeks at a stretch, running an efficient Stirling engine on diesel fuel and liquid oxygen. It has modern features for signature reduction, like an X-style rudder and a flared, specially-shaped sail. It also has a lockout chamber (or "multi-mission portal") at the bow for deploying divers or larger AUVs. Stretched versions are available for long-distance operations. From a practical and operational standpoint, Saab has designed A-26 to take on fuel and stores at sea, and has previously claimed that it will have a replenishment timeline of about six hours.

The previous Saab model, the Kockums Gotland-class, is well-known for its stealth capability. Famously, first-in-class HSwMS Gotland managed to "hit" aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan during wargames in the Pacific, having evaded all of Reagan's escorts.

"We are honored to have been selected and look forward to the coming negotiations with the Armaments Agency in Poland. The Swedish offer, featuring submarines tailored for the Baltic Sea, is the right choice for the Polish people. It will significantly enhance the operational capability of the Polish Navy and benefit Polish economy," said Micael Johansson, President and CEO of Saab.

Separately, Sweden is planning to buy a full-size frigate for the first time in years, and hopes to take delivery of the first hulls by 2030 - an ambitious timeline. Sweden wants to make a decision next year, and will select from among proven hull designs to reduce acquisition risk. The vessel will be built at a foreign yard.

At present, the Swedish Navy's largest surface combatants are the Visby-class stealth corvettes, five of which were built; they have all-domain capabilities, including anti-submarine warfare.