Poland, France In Talks On Potential Submarine Deal

Staff, Radio Poland
27 December 2017

Polish Defence Minister Antoni Macierewicz has spoken with his French counterpart Florence Parly about the potential purchase and joint production of French submarines for the Polish navy.
The French Naval Group is offering to sell Scorpène-class submarines to Poland, a modern diesel-electric submarine that would be equipped with long-range missiles.
The Polish Defence Ministry spokeswoman, Col. Anna Pęzioł-Wójtowicz, said before Christmas that France would provide more details of a potential deal by the end of this year.
Pęzioł-Wójtowicz said that “a final decision concerning the production of submarines will be made by Poland in the near future, after receiving replies from France, as well as from our other potential partners.”
The discussions form part of Poland’s Orka (Orca) programme, a PLN 10 billion (EUR 2.4 billion) plan to acquire modern submarines for the Polish navy. Poland intends to purchase three to four submarines, which will be equipped with cruise missiles.
Apart from the French offer, Poland is considering bids from the German group TKMS, for Type 212 or Type 214 submarines, and the Swedish group Saab, which is offering its A26 submarine.
Macierewicz has previously stated that the French offer is attractive as cruise missiles would be included as part of the deal. However, the Polish Defence Ministry was keen to stress that no decision has been made, and that all the offers had their own advantages and disadvantages.