Speaking at the Central Air Force Range in Ustka on the Baltic coast, Tusk said his Cabinet will adopt a resolution on Wednesday committing to buy a new class of submarines under the Orca program by the end of 2025.
"All offers have been examined, and the government will now choose our final partner," Tusk said.
He added that the resolution, put forward by Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, will authorize the purchase timeline and clear the way for contract talks.
Orca, a long-running effort to acquire several, most likely three, submarines for the Polish Navy, is one of the country’s most urgent naval modernization projects.
Poland currently operates one submarine, ORP Orzeł, built in 1985 in the Soviet Union, which has required frequent repairs.
If the ORP Orzeł is withdrawn from service, the navy would lack a platform to train and maintain submarine crews.
Poland previously operated four small Kobben-class submarines acquired from Norway, the last two of which left service in 2021.
According to the Armament Agency, the procurement body for the Polish armed forces, seven companies submitted offers, two from South Korea and one each from France, Spain, Germany, Sweden, and Italy.
Industry proposals from Germany’s ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems, Sweden’s Saab, and Italy’s Fincantieri have been rated most highly in the technical evaluation, Polish state news agency PAP reported.
In recent months, Polish Deputy Defense Minister Paweł Bejda and a ministry team visited shipyards in those three countries.
The defense ministry says the choice will depend on strict navy requirements, financing terms, and industrial cooperation in Poland.
The navy has defined key capabilities for the future boats, including the ability to dive below 200 meters, operate without outside support for at least 30 days, fire torpedoes against surface ships and submarines, and launch missiles capable of striking targets on shore and, depending on the weapon type, deeper inland.
(rt/gs)
Source: IAR, PAP