Jul 1, 2026 - World

Poland inks $5 billion sub deal with Sweden's Saab

Colin Demarest

Water reflections dance across part of a small ship. The word "SAAB" is written across the ship in white letters. — The Saab logo, seen at the WEST naval conference in San Diego. Photo: Colin Demarest/Axios

Saab will build and deliver to Poland three A26-type submarines in a deal worth nearly $5 billion.

Why it matters: The ink has dried some seven months after Warsaw first announced its intent to go with the company to replace its Kilo class.

Driving the news: The first boat will be delivered in 2031, according to Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson. Work will continue through 2038.

"It is a very large and long-term deal," Kristersson said in a statement.
"A strong Polish submarine force strengthens security in our shared Baltic Sea, and across NATO as a whole. When Sweden and Poland share the most advanced capabilities in the Baltic Sea, our part of the world becomes safer."

Zoom in: The diesel-electric subs can linger on the seafloor and can be equipped with long-range torpedoes and missiles, according to Saab. That means they can hit targets in the water and on land.

"The A26 is designed for the demanding conditions of the Baltic Sea: shallow waters, complex seabeds and limited operating space," Swedish Defense Minister Pål Jonson said in a statement.

Threat level: Russia looms large in the minds of the Poles and Swedes. The Swedish navy encountered Russian subs "almost weekly," The Guardian reported in 2025.

Maxar and Saab seek stronger Europe in new partnership

Saab's Erik Smith: Global security has "seen and unseen connections"

Add Axios on Google

Poland inks $5 billion sub deal with Sweden's Saab

What to read next