Germany and Poland have agreed to set up a joint operating authority over both countries’ submarines, Defense News reported Wednesday.
Lars Hoffmann writes Vice Adm. Andreas Krause, German navy’s inspector, and his Polish counterpart Rear Adm. Miroslaw Mordel signed a memorandum of understanding to facilitate the establishment of the joint submarine command in Glucksburg, Germany.
The Polish navy will link its U-boats to Germany’s submarine broadcast control system and assign two naval officers at the German maritime operations facility in Glucksburg as part of the joint command, the German navy said in an announcement.
The Polish navy has one Soviet Kilo-class and four Kobben-class U-boats and the Germany navy operates six 212A-class submarines, according to Defense News.
The report said Poland has begun negotiations with Norway to jointly procure submarines and that possible vessel suppliers on Norway’s list include Germany-based ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems and France’s DCNS.
A spokesman for the German navy said the joint submarine command will help facilitate training of Polish naval forces in Germany and could serve as a basis for the establishment of a joint navy authority in the Baltic Sea region, according to the report.
