Poland’s state-owned PGZ Naval Shipyard has officially christened and launched the future ORP Wicher in Gdynia, marking the debut of the nation’s Miecznik-class multirole frigate program.
The vessel is the first of three planned warships built under a 15-billion-zloty ($4 billion) program designed to overhaul the Polish Navy’s surface combatants and bolster NATO capabilities along the eastern flank.
The 139-meter (456-foot) Miecznik platforms are being constructed domestically by a consortium alongside international industry partners Thales and MBDA, basing the platforms on Babcock’s Arrowhead 140 design used by the UK Royal Navy’s Type 31 frigates.
Equipped with Thales’ TACTICOS combat management systems and MBDA’s CAMM-series air defense missiles, the incoming fleet will conduct air defense, anti-surface operations, and maritime surveillance in the Baltic Sea.
“The Miecznik program is a fantastic example of how defense cooperation between allies can deliver real capability,” UK Minister of State for Defence Lord Vernon Coaker commented at the ceremony.
“It brings together expertise from the United Kingdom and Poland to help address today’s evolving security challenges.”
‘Breakthrough’
Polish officials confirmed that the ORP Wicher is scheduled to enter service in 2029.
Construction of the second Miecznik frigate, the ORP Burza, has been underway since May 2025, while developments for the third vessel, the ORP Huragan, began in April 2026.
Once commissioned, they will gradually replace two aging Oliver Hazard Perry-class vessels acquired from the US Navy in the early 2000s.
“Today, a breakthrough is taking place,” Polish President Karol Nawrocki stated during the event. “The Polish Navy is being significantly strengthened. This Miecznik project and program also provided a boost to the Polish shipbuilding industry.”
“Thanks to Polish shipyard workers and sailors, a sovereign, independent Poland is able to ensure its security.”