Poland Unveils First Frigate in Decades Under 15 Billion-Zloty Navy Overhaul
Updated
Updated · Notes From Poland · Aug 12
Poland Unveils First Frigate in Decades Under 15 Billion-Zloty Navy Overhaul
3 articles · Updated · Notes From Poland · Aug 12
Summary
ORP Wicher, Poland’s first frigate to enter service in decades, was unveiled in Gdynia as the first of three warships in the Miecznik program.
The 15 billion-zloty (€3.5 billion) overhaul is meant to replace two ageing US-transferred frigates, strengthen NATO’s Baltic defenses and protect shipping lanes and energy infrastructure.
Thursday’s next step is a complex launch from a semi-submersible barge, with shipyard officials calling it one of Poland’s most demanding engineering operations.
Donald Tusk and President Karol Nawrocki appeared together at the ceremony, underscoring rare political unity on defense and highlighting that the ships are being built domestically.
The Arrowhead 140-based frigates will carry CAMM and CAMM-ER air-defense missiles and anti-ship weapons with ranges above 200 km, with the three-ship program due for completion by 2031.