Poland to Launch Largest Warships in Navy History: Miecznik Frigates

Poland's Navy is on the cusp of a historic modernization as it prepares to launch the first of its largest warships, the "Miecznik"-class frigates. The prototype, named ORP Wicher, is slated to slide into the water from the PGZ Naval Shipyard in Gdynia on August 12, marking a significant milestone for Polish naval capabilities.

This program represents the first time in decades that Poland will commission large combat vessels constructed in a domestic shipyard. The Miecznik frigates are set to become the biggest ships in the history of the Polish Navy, boasting a displacement of around 7,000 tons and a length of nearly 139 meters. The construction schedule is ambitious: the second frigate, ORP Burza, has already begun construction, with its launch anticipated in September 2027 and commissioning in April 2030. The third frigate, ORP Huragan, is in its initial phase, with its launch planned for September 2028 and delivery by the end of 2031, completing the program in the early 2030s.

The naming convention for these new vessels deliberately connects to Poland's naval heritage. ORP Wicher, ORP Burza, and ORP Huragan are named after historical destroyers from the Second Polish Republic era. This tradition began in 1926 when Marshal Józef Piłsudski personally selected names like Wicher and Burza for destroyers ordered from France. The original ORP Wicher, launched in 1928, was a symbol of the reborn Republic's naval strength and famously demonstrated Polish rights to the Port of Gdynia in 1932.

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If everything goes according to plan, the hull of the first frigate of the Miecznik program, the prototype ORP Wicher, will slide from the slipway of PGZ Naval Shipyard in Gdynia into the water on August 12.