Shipbucket

A story without happy end... only sad reality.

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Nobody expects the Imperial Inquisition!

what is sad, they have all done more than what they was designed for

Sad is state of Polish Navy and submarine branch is de facto dissolved ... at this moment Orzeł is to be maintained in "service" over 2030.

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Nobody expects the Imperial Inquisition!

Unfortunately that's true. Already in 2019 Polish Navy opened the tender for 10-year life extension of 53-65KE torpedoes (used only on ORP Orzeł), which was an ominous sign that delay in submarine purchase may be longer than officialy declared, and just days ago it officialy emerged (as a result of parliamentary defence committee meeting) that Orzeł will be used until 2031 and new date for introduction of new submarines is... 2035.
(one can only hope that it's meant to be date for all 3 new subs to be in service, not for the first new to enter service, but I wouldn't bet on it)

By now, Orzeł exist only to maintain a fiction of having a sub-force and to keep jobs for submariners and from time to time to leave for a little dive on shallow in the assistance of rescue units so that the certificates for submarines can be extended. The combat capacity of the Orzeł is practically nil. And the icing on the cake is that one of the "main" programs for acquiring new ships for the Polish Navy is ... a submarine rescue vessel. That could find some job in other NATO navies as Polish Navy would not have any submarine (beyond Orzeł) for next minimum 15 years.

Polish Navy and understanding of maritime affairs in Poland is a picture of misery and despair. And it was for many decades now.

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Nobody expects the Imperial Inquisition!

it would be hilarious, if Poland get the Norwegian Ula class, as a stop cap (again), when Norway starting to face them out for the new submarine, that are going to be started building withing 2 years time. (it's possible to get them earlier, since Norway's submarine force is going to be down scaled by 2 submarines)

The advantage of Ula class, is that they have all just went trough basically a third MLU, where they in short almost rebuild them

The "temporary" solutions are permanent ones in Poland. They already tried to get A17's... but apparently Swedes did not want to give them for free so talks had been canceled.

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Nobody expects the Imperial Inquisition!

Having sailed ULA-class submarines, we actually have/had a running gag that when they're eventually decommissioned, the ULAs will join the proud tradition of "Ula to Poland" (a spin on the Norwegian Project "Kobben to Poland" - yes, that was the official project name). So, since we're getting U212CD from 2029 onwards, we should have some ULAs ready for Polish service around the time Orzel is formally decommissioned...

@Heuhen, Eeo
Well, considering the planned schedule of introduction of new submarines to the Polish Navy, Ulas could have a good chance to celebrate their 50th birthday under Polish flag.

But in general, situation is even worse than that. Quite fittingly, one of Poland's major news websites published today an article about current situation regarding modernization of Polish submarine force. It turns out that Poland was invited to U212CD project as third partner - and our oh so patriotic and defense-minded government in it's infinite wisdom... ignored that offer.

As it seems, currently modification programme is during "analytical-conceptual phase" (invariably since 2013 - information when that phase is supposed to end is officialy declared secret). Now it seems that current plan is to obtain another single second-hand submarine as a stop-gap (officialy it's called "bridge capability") with second one as an option, before the intended ones will be bought... some day... (counting from the day when further Pr. 877's were 'delayed' for financial reasons around 1986, it will be how many years of stop-gaps already?...)

And Ula's were actually already considered as stop-gaps, in 2016. Offered by Norwegians themselves, together with training package. But our oh so patriotic and defense-minded government in it's infinite wisdom was unable to make any decisions, because... well, no idea because of what. Nothing that could be posted here without intervention by Admins.

sound like you people have fun... but I'm not surprised either, when even we hear about "interesting" laws, the polish guvernement put down sometimes!


2016, I bet it was fro 2 submarines, since we already back then was starting to downscale the submarine fleet. But I'm glad it didn't happend, the political situation toward the military changed a lot since then (could of course be better, we will never be as big as we was under the cold war), Heck we at one point managed to operate 4 frigates, at the same time... after 2016:lol: