Poland plans to purchase new generation submarines this year, the country's defense minister said on Wednesday.
Addressing the Defence24 DAY conference in Warsaw, Mariusz Blaszczak said Poland will seek an offset agreement as a part of its ongoing Orka project, with the new generation submarines having the capability to use cruise missiles to attack land targets and may also be equipped with the Air-Independent Propulsion.
He said details regarding the number and parameters of the submarines will be revealed later, noting that it may be a challenge for Poland to build a support model for the submarines.
Polish authorities will invite potential contractors from Europe and beyond to the procurement process. Blaszczak said Poland was observing the Australian model for the tender.
When Poland joined NATO in 1999, it had four ex-Norwegian type 207 Kobben-class submarines, commissioned between 2002-2004, and joined a single Polish Kilo Class Submarine (ORP Orzel) inherited from communist times. The Kobbens were gradually decommissioned up to 2021.
