Polish-German Submarine Alliance Dubbed ‘Provocation’ By Russia

Moscow has condemned the recent move by Polish and German navies to create a common "Submarine Operating Authority’.

Poland and Germany on Tuesday signed an agreement to join hands to exercise binational operational control over both German and Polish submarines. One of the major advantages of the agreement is that Polish submarines can interface with German command and control systems, including the ‘Submarine Broadcast Control Authority,’ the German ministry of defense had reported.

Russia has condemned the move as unnecessary provocation. "The military-political situation along [Russia’s] western borders remains unstable. The United States and other NATO members continue to build up military capabilities, primarily in countries neighboring Russia," Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu was quoted as saying by Sputnik Tuesday.

"These actions by Western colleagues tend to undermine strategic stability in Europe and force us to take retaliatory measures, primarily in the Western strategic direction."

The German and Polish submarine fleets are approximately equal, albeit of varying technical standards. While the German Navy has six submarines of class 212A, the Polish Navy currently has five submarines: one of the former Soviet Kilo class and four which were originally built by Nordseewerke in Emden for the Norwegian Navy as the Kobben class. They were handed over to Poland in 2002 and 2003. Meanwhile, the Polish underwater component is considering the next step towards modernization.

The GE-POL SubOpAuth will be integrated into the German MOC in Glucksburg, and will include two Polish naval officers.