[비즈한국] To secure the ‘Orka Project,’ the Polish Navy’s submarine acquisition program, Hanwha Ocean042660 is actively conducting marketing activities within Poland. It is reported that Hanwha Ocean is considering and planning to propose various options, including the ‘leasing’ of South Korean submarines.
According to local Polish sources, Hanwha Ocean submitted a new business proposal regarding the Orka Project to the Polish Armament Agency on the 4th (local time). Specifically, in addition to supplying Jang Bogo-III batch vessels, they have also considered a plan to lease one Jang Bogo-class submarine. Currently, the Polish Navy operates a single Soviet-era Kilo-class submarine, which has been in service for nearly 40 years since its commissioning in 1986.
The Polish Navy is known to be seeking submarine crew training alongside the acquisition of new submarines for the Orka Project. According to the defense industry, the Polish side wants the winning contractor to provide a so-called ‘gap filler’ submarine to bridge the capability gap until the new vessels are delivered. The Polish Ministry of National Defense has consistently expressed that it would be desirable to lease one or two submarines to maintain and operate its naval crew.
Hanwha Ocean intends to propose the lease of a Jang Bogo-class submarine to meet the Polish Navy’s requirements. The Polish Navy noted that this would allow them to maintain operational continuity while starting the process of building submarine operation and maintenance capabilities within Poland at an early stage. However, as the leasing of a Jang Bogo-class submarine requires coordination with the South Korean Navy and the Defense Acquisition Program Administration, cooperation from the military and the government is essential.
It is reported that Hanwha Ocean has also proposed an investment package of $100 million (approximately 148.3 billion KRW), which includes submarine delivery within eight and a half years of the order and the construction of an MRO (Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul) center.
Previously, Hanwha Ocean visited Remontowa Shipyard and Nauta Shipyard, located in the northern Polish port cities of Gdansk and Gdynia, respectively, for two days on the 25th and 26th of last month. To win the Orka Project, they sought to strengthen cooperation between the two companies and find ways for mutual development between South Korea and Poland. Officials from the Polish shipyards and Hanwha Ocean discussed cooperation on warship construction, naval MRO business, and eco-friendly technology.
Monika, CEO of Poland’s Nauta Shipyard, emphasized, “We are pleased with the opportunity to cooperate with Hanwha Ocean and look forward to building a long-term strategic partnership based on mutual trust and technical exchange. Nauta and the PGZ Group are ready to play a leading role in the MRO sector while sharing a common vision for strengthening capabilities within Poland. We will work closely with Hanwha Ocean.”
Nauta Shipyard is an affiliate of PGZ Group, a state-owned Polish defense conglomerate. As a specialized defense shipyard, it has built and maintained numerous existing Polish Navy vessels based on its long military business experience and warship design capabilities, and currently holds the second-largest market share in the Polish naval MRO market.
Currently, competitors such as Germany’s ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) and Sweden’s Saab are also actively engaged in marketing to win the Orka Project. They are highlighting their close collaboration with Polish industry across various sectors beyond defense and their active economic exchanges as key advantages. European defense companies from countries like Germany and Sweden are receiving full support from their respective governments.
Experts emphasize that the role of the government is crucial. Due to the nature of the defense market, it is impossible to push projects forward without policy and diplomatic support from the government. An industry official stated, “The Japanese government and companies worked as one team to win the Australian frigate project last year,” and added, “Once a new government is formed, we must make efforts to secure the project through government-to-government (G2G) cooperation with Poland at various levels.”
The preferred bidder for the Orka Project is expected to be selected in the second quarter of this year, with the final contract likely to be signed around September.