Poland picks Sweden’s A26 submarines for its navy fleet, deal still pending

November 27, 2025, by Fatima Bahtić

The Polish government has selected the Swedish government’s offer of Saab’s A26 submarines to replace the current Kilo-class submarines.

The Swedish offer comprises advanced A26 submarines from Saab, equipped with the latest innovations and technologies. The proposal includes cooperation with the Polish industry and knowledge transfer, securing a strategic partnership between Poland and Sweden.

Saab revealed that it has not signed any contract nor received any order.

Saab CEO Micael Johansson said the firm was “honoured to have been selected and look forward to the coming negotiations with the Armaments Agency in Poland.”

He added that the submarines, designed specifically for operations in the Baltic Sea, represent “the right choice for the Polish people,” and would significantly enhance the capabilities of the Polish Navy while boosting the local economy.

Saab and the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) are now set to enter the next phase of the procurement process with the Polish authorities.

The A26, also known as the Blekinge-class submarine, is the latest diesel-electric design from Saab, featuring an air-independent propulsion (AIP) system.

The program began in 2015, when the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration ordered two submarines from Saab, marking a major effort to rebuild national industrial capability. A symbolic milestone came on 30 June at Saab’s Karlskrona shipyard, where the keel-laying ceremony for the first submarine, HSwMS Blekinge, saw the initial hull sections positioned for joining.

The Blekinge-class boats measure roughly 66 meters in length with a 6.75-meter beam and a displacement of about 1,900 tonnes. They will carry missiles alongside mines and torpedoes and feature Saab’s multi-mission portal, a launcher enabling horizontal exit for divers and deployment or retrieval of manned and unmanned vehicles.

Saab recently received a SEK 9.6 billion contract to complete the program’s final phase, with work scheduled from 2026 to 2032 and delivery of the two submarines now expected in 2031 and 2033.