New strategic partnership agreement
The Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson have signed a strategic partnership agreement focusing on security, defense, and economic cooperation. The agreement, signed in Sweden end of this year in November, emphasized a "Navy Policing" initiative to secure the Baltic Sea and addressed regional threats, including Russian aggression and sabotage of critical infrastructure.
At the same time President Andrzej Duda emphasized during the celebration of Navy Day in Gdynia the urgent need for Poland to acquire modern submarines and accelerate the Orka program. He stressed the strategic importance of maritime capabilities for national and regional security. The Orka program aims to modernize Poland's naval forces, replacing outdated assets like the Soviet-era ORP Orzeł with advanced submarines. President Duda also highlighted the Navy's role in hybrid warfare, citing incidents in the Baltic Sea and its critical function in safeguarding maritime infrastructure.
Shared security in the Baltic Sea
Poland and Sweden have identical geostrategic interests and face the same challenges. The location of both countries - members of NATO and the European Union - along the Baltic Sea means that the partnership between them has the potential to become a key guarantor of security and stability in the region. The importance of Polish-Swedish cooperation in the field of security is equally recognised in Warsaw and Stockholm. The Swedish defence industry is a trusted partner of the Polish Armed Forces, providing advanced reconnaissance platforms, weapon systems, and training solutions. In turn, Poland is one of Sweden's most important partners in ensuring security in the Baltic Sea region, which is critically significant for both nations.
Poland and Sweden share responsibility to protect the Baltic Sea region. Saab as a trusted and longstanding partner to Poland offers industrial co-operation and solutions that range from the depths of the oceans to high in the sky, on land and in cyberspace, to keep people and society safe.
Polish-Swedish cooperation is already very strong, but it holds considerable potential for further development. Poland and Sweden, as neighbouring countries connected by the Baltic Sea, share common interests and a mutual understanding of the region's challenges. Addressing these requires close cooperation, not only directly but also within the frameworks of the European Union and NATO. With Sweden's accession to NATO, new opportunities have emerged to deepen cooperation between the armed forces and defence industries. The air and maritime domains, in particular, present significant opportunities for joint action. The use of common platforms and systems by the armed forces of both countries allows for information dominance in the Baltic Sea region, enhancing NATO's overall situational awareness and the security of all countries in this part of Europe.
Maritime co-operation
Recently, Poland acquired two Saab 340 AEW early warning aircraft and contracted two reconnaissance ships. Saab is the supplier of the Delfin project, but the ships are being built at the Polish Remontowa Shipbuilding yard in Gdańsk. The integration of these platforms into the Polish Armed Forces paves the way for closer military and industrial cooperation with Sweden.
The two main naval bases of Poland and Sweden - Gdynia and Karlskrona - are located just over 300 kilometres apart. This geographical proximity allows the fleets of both nations, in cooperation with other allies, to jointly take responsibility for security. The fleets' ships - both surface and submarine - along with sensors and weapon systems of other branches of the Swedish Armed Forces, are designed with the Baltic Sea region as a key operational theatre. They address the challenges of the modern battlefield and the threat posed to all regional countries by Russia's aggressive policies.
Polish-Swedish cooperation in the maritime domain can significantly enhance the security of communication lines running through the Baltic Sea, as well as logistics hubs and maritime energy infrastructure. These are just a few examples where Poland and Sweden can exchange knowledge and experience, jointly develop technologies, and build interoperability between their armed forces.
What happened in 2024?
2024 has been an important year for Saab, marked by significant developments across various sectors. With a strong emphasis on innovation, defense, and sustainability, Saab has continued to solidify its position as a leader in cutting-edge technology.
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