German Submarines for Poland?

ORP Bielik

At the end of May 2013, the German and Polish defense ministers signed a Letter of Intent on naval cooperation. What does that mean for Polish submarine plans?

Poland’s current submarine fleet includes 1 Russian Kilo Class boat, ORP Orzel, which was commissioned in 1986. Another 4 modernized U207 Kobben Class pocket submarines of German design were given to Poland by Norway, who added 1 Type 207 used for spares/ training. The tiny 435t Type 207s were commissioned in Norway from 1964 – 1967, which doesn’t leave them much of a safe lifespan.

Rapid Fire July 22, 2013: Jostling for Influence in Mideast

• Exporting advanced S-300 missiles to Syria could be a problem for Russia, as well as for outside powers who wish to overfly Syrian airspace. Russia & India Report explains the history, considerations, and dilemmas involved.

• McClatchy: Absent strong U.S. policy on Mideast, nations compete for influence.