UK and Poland in a new Type 31 frigate tie-up

The UK and Poland have signed a Statement of Intent to collaborate on the procurement and operation of three Arrowhead-140 (British Type 31) frigates. 

The agreement, which provides a framework for the UK Government and The Government of Poland to work on the Polish new frigates, was signed by PK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace and Poland’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence Mariusz Błaszczak at the Zamość Military Base in Poland.

Poland has chosen Babcock’s Arrowhead 140 design from three different platform design proposals for future navy frigates.

Poland’s selection of Babcock as the platform design provider for its frigate program follows decisions by the UK and Indonesia to select the AH140 platform as the basis of their new Type 31 frigate program.

The Polish frigates will be a variant of the AH140 platform.

The vessels will be nearly 140 meters long, with a 20-meter-long beam and a displacement of 7,000 tonnes. The frigates will be able to meet changing operational needs, ranging from anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, electromagnetic maneuver warfare and anti-air warfare.

Furthermore, the countries will explore the potential for the UK and Polish Armed Forces to cooperate on the development of a future common missile. 

Though requirements for the missile are still in development, it is envisioned to be a medium-to-long range, surface-launched missile that can be used in both land and maritime environments and will be a development of the CAMM family of missiles.