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Intermarium union wrote:

Ministry of Defence - Announcement

In 2017 the Ministry of Defence officials and navy officers have started to work on a project referred to as the 'Orka', whose aim has been to determine future needs of the Navy with regards to submarines and to prepare a base for future negotiations. Consequently, Minister of Defence of Intermarium Kazimierz Lisiewicz has initiated talks with Saab Kockums AB corporation earlier this month. The goal of these talks has been the acquisition of 3-4 new diesel-electric submarines based on either the Gotland or A-26 class. New submarines are to replace Intermarium's aging fleet of submarines of Kobben and Kilo classes. The whole process of acquisition of new submarines is expected to take several months; the submarines could be launched and commissioned for use by Intermarium's Navy by late 2021 or early 2022 depending on details of the order.

Ministry of Defence - Announcement

Following the previously mentioned talks and contract negotiations with Saab Kockums AB corporation, the MoD is pleased to announce that an agreement on terms of a contract for the “Orka” project has been reached. On behalf of the government of Intermarium the contract was signed by Minister of Defence Kazimierz Lisiewiecz, who applauded the results of the negotiations and said he is looking forward to future cooperation with Saab Kockums AB corporation.

According to the terms of the contract, Intermarium will acquire a total of 4 diesel-electric submarines of the Orka class, based on the oceanic segment of the A26 class fitted with a Mark 4 Stirling air-independent propulsion (AIP) system, for a total price of $1.890 billion ($472,5 million per unit). The vessels will be built and launched in the Saab Kockums AB dockyards and later moved to Intermarium's Gdynia shipyards for finishing works. In Gdynia shipyards the ships are to be tested, outfitted and armed and ultimately commissioned for the use by Intermarium's Navy. The first batch of two ships is to be supplied in Q4 2021 (126 RL days; December 6, 2019), while the other two ships will be delivered by Q2 2022 (151 RL days; December 31, 2019). Once operational and ready for deployment, the Orka class submarines will replace the aging Kobben and Kilo class submarines that are in service with the Intermarium's Navy as of now. Crew training and other services are included in the contract and Intermarium's navy officers will be gradually and continually educated and trained on the use of the new ships starting in early 2020.