The Polish Navy’s first Swordfish-class frigate, Wicher, has been launched at the state-owned PGZ Naval Shipyard in Gdynia.
The first of the Miecznik (Swordfish) warships, Wicher is based on Babcock’s Arrowhead 140 design, the same base platform used for the Royal Navy’s Type 31 frigates.
Last weekend the 6,000-tonne vessel was rolled out of the build hall and onto a semi-submersible transport barge. On Wednesday she was christened at a special ceremony; her name translates as “Gale.”
Then the following day she was launched into the Bay of Gdansk, before being towed back to the shipyard by tugs to begin her final outfitting. Once this and her systems integration are completed, the warship will undergo sea trials before a planned entry into active service in 2029.
Valued at about PLN 15 billion (roughly £3bn), the three-frigate Miecznik programme represents the largest naval shipbuilding project in Poland’s history. Construction of her sister frigates Burza (Storm) and Huragan (Hurricane) Storm) is already underway, with the last ship expected to be completed in 2032.
ORP Wicher is about 139m long and will displace about 7,000 tonnes. Designed as a multi-role combatant to secure Baltic trade routes and protect offshore infrastructure, the frigate features air defence, surface strike, and anti-submarine capabilities.
She will feature a Mk41 Vertical Launch Systems (VLS) carrying CAMM-family air-defence missiles, and RBS-15 missiles for surface and land targets.
The warship will alsol carry a 76mm OTO Melara Super Rapid gun and two 35mm OSU-35K naval guns; her sensors will include multifunction radars, hull-mounted sonars, towed sonars, and an electronic warfare suite.
Last week’s christening ceremony was attended by Poland’s President Karol Nawrocki and Prime Minister Donald Tusk and a host of other dignitaries and navy and industry representatives.
CEO of state-owned defence group PGZ (Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa) Adam Leszkiewicz said: “The christening and launching of the first frigate of the Miecznik programme is one of the most important moments in rebuilding the operational capabilities of the Polish Navy.
“It is proof of the competence and growing potential of the domestic defence industry. Never before have Polish shipyards built multi-role frigates or ships with such advanced weapon systems. The PGZ-Miecznik consortium, formed by Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa and PGZ Stocznia Wojenna, demonstrates that together we can develop national technological competences and deliver state-of-the-art ships in their class.”
- You can read more details on the PGZ Naval Shipyard website
