The great revival of the Polish fleet. Billions for submarines and frigates

Poland is carrying out the largest modernization of its navy since the Cold War and developing long-neglected naval capabilities in response to the threat from Russia in the Baltic Sea, the British daily Financial Times reported.

The government in Warsaw is spending billions of zlotys to strengthen its fleet with new frigates and submarines for the first time in decades, emphasized the opinion-forming “FT”.

The newspaper mentioned in this context project to build three frigatesthe purchase of three submarines from Sweden agreed in November, as well as the commissioning of new minehunters and the start of construction of a rescue ship to support underwater operations.

These purchases are intended to reverse the effects of many years of underinvestment in the country's navy, which currently has one submarine, built in the USSR and transferred to Poland in 1986, and two frigates built in the USA in the 1970s, said “FT”.

– The threat from Russia is spreading and we cannot ignore its hybrid actions, an example of which is cutting cables, said Paweł Bejda, deputy head of the Ministry of National Defense, quoted by the newspaper. – Poland must participate very actively in ensuring security in the Baltic Sea, he added.

Russia's use of hybrid warfare methods has fueled concerns about threats to NATO in the Baltic Sea. Poland and other countries accuse Russia of organizing acts of sabotage regarding undersea cables and drone incursions into NATO airspace.

“FT” emphasized that Poland spent 4.7% on defense in 2025. GDP, which is the highest percentage among the North Atlantic Alliance countries. Tens of billions of dollars were spent on the purchase of mainly American and South Korean equipment for Polish land and air forces.

New multi-role frigates are being built at the PGZ Naval Shipyard in Gdynia as part of the Miecznik project. The construction of the second one was inaugurated in December. The British arms company Babcock, which owns the ship's design, is participating in the project.

The FT reported that according to representatives The PGZ project restores the glory of the shipyard, which was at risk of bankruptcy. Thanks to new investments, the shipyard “is reborn like a phoenix from the ashes” – said Jan Grabowski, member of the PGZ management board.

Mark Goldsack, a member of Babcock's management, said that his company has deepened its partnership with PGZ to adapt the capabilities of the shipyard in Gdynia to those of the plant in Rosyth, British, where the Type 31 frigates are built, on which the ships being built in Poland are based. According to him, thanks to the experience from Rosyth, production in Gdynia will run faster and more efficiently.

“FT” emphasized that Great Britain and Poland are aiming to sign a new defense cooperation agreement in the coming months, negotiations on which began in January 2025 during the visit of British Prime Minister Keir Starmer to Warsaw. (PAP)

wia/ ap/ zuz