Poland to replace Soviet-era boat with world's first fifth-gen subs

The A26 boats, equipped with state-of-the-art systems, can handle diverse tasks from intelligence gathering to targeted strikes on maritime and ground objectives. Saab offered collaboration with Polish firms and technology transfers to strengthen NATO alliance ties.

Poland plans to acquire three A26 submarines, with the first delivery to the navy by 2030. The contract is valued at about 10 billion zlotys ($2.74 billion), though experts estimate the true cost could reach 36 billion zlotys ($9.8 billion).

"Poland will acquire three submarines under the Orka program," Kosiniak-Kamysz said. "This decision creates a new security architecture in the Baltic Sea. After analyzing the responses of individual countries, the team recommended Sweden as the top choice."

Dubbed the world's first "fifth-generation" submarine, the A26 operates nearly invisibly and leverages advanced tech for surveillance and attacks.

It features a Stirling Air-Independent Propulsion system, allowing extended underwater stays without surfacing for stealth.

The vessel can monitor enemy communications, movements and radar signals, deploy unmanned underwater vehicles and special forces for seabed surveillance, and safeguard critical assets.

The A26 launches torpedoes and long-range cruise missiles, intercepts enemy signals and shares data within NATO networks.

It is designed for integrated NATO multi-domain operations, where air, sea, land, cyber and space forces exchange real-time intel and coordinate.

The Blekinge-class submarine is expected to displace around 2,000 tons when submerged.