Keel laid for Poland’s first Miecznik-class frigate

Shipbuilding company PGZ Stocznia Wojenna (PGZ Naval Shipyard) has held a keel-laying ceremony for the first Miecznik-class frigate being built for the Polish Navy.

As informed, the ceremony took place in Gdynia on January 30. It marks the first time in 23 years that the keel of a new combat ship for the Polish Navy was laid at Jana Śmidowicza Street in Gdynia, the company noted.

The keel is the bottom block of the future ORP Wicher, number DB 04. Under the applicable regulations and regulations of the classification society, the object had to meet the requirements that allow further work on a vessel of this class. This block weighs over 120 tons and is 24 meters long and 18 meters wide. As part of the ceremony, a commemorative coin and a plaque with the date of its laying were welded into the bottom of the keel.

Three modern Miecznik frigates for the Polish Navy will be built at PGZ in cooperation with defence companies Babcock, MBDA, Thales, Remontowa Shipbuilding, as part of the largest contract ever awarded to the Polish shipbuilding industry. 

The vessels are 138 meters long, with a width of 20 meters. Maximum displacement is 7,000 tons, while the maximum speed is 28 knots.

The first frigate will be launched by 2026, and the navy expects that the ship will enter service 2029. Multi-purpose units of this class are expected to increase the capabilities of the Polish Navy and will allow for the implementation of a wide range of tasks at sea, including in the field of securing shipping routes and critical infrastructure. 

The Miecznik-class frigate program is expected to be finalized by 2032.