Poland Launches First Miecznik Frigate ORP Wicher to Replace Aging US-Built Warships.

Poland has begun the launch sequence for ORP Wicher, the first of three Miecznik-class frigates being built to strengthen the Polish Navy’s surface warfare capabilities. The milestone brings Warsaw closer to replacing its aging former US Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigates with a new generation of multi-role warships.

The hull left the construction hall at PGZ Stocznia Wojenna in Gdynia on August 9, 2026, beginning a multi-day operation ahead of its first entry into the water. Wicher is due to be formally christened on August 12 before being moved aboard a semi-submersible vessel for launch the following day, marking one of the most visible milestones yet in Poland’s effort to rebuild its major surface fleet.

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Poland rolls out its first Miecznik frigate, Wicher, ahead of an August 13 launch as its largest naval shipbuilding program advances. (Picture source: Polish MoD)

The Miecznik program covers three multi-role frigates, ORP Wicher, ORP Burza and ORP Huragan, derived from Babcock International’s Arrowhead 140 design and adapted to Polish Navy requirements. Construction is being carried out in Gdynia by PGZ Stocznia Wojenna with substantial participation from Poland’s defense industry. Wicher is currently expected to enter service in 2029, with the remaining ships scheduled to follow at the beginning of the next decade. The project introduces a new class of large surface combatant at a time when maritime security in the Baltic is receiving greater attention in Polish and NATO defense planning.

On August 10, 2026, the Polish government and Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa confirmed this stage of the Miecznik program following the rollout of ORP Wicher’s hull in Gdynia. PGZ Stocznia Wojenna lists an overall length of about 138 meters and a maximum beam of approximately 20 meters. Maximum displacement is expected to reach around 7,000 tonnes. The frigate is designed for a top speed of 28 knots and a range of roughly 8,000 nautical miles. Propulsion is based on four diesel engines arranged in a Combined Diesel and Diesel, or CODAD, configuration. The standard crew numbers around 120 personnel, with accommodation for approximately 60 additional personnel depending on the mission.

The Polish Navy remains relatively limited in size for a country with more than 500 kilometers of Baltic coastline and a central position on NATO’s northeastern flank. Its main surface combatants still include the two Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigates ORP Generał Kazimierz Pułaski and ORP Generał Tadeusz Kościuszko, transferred by the United States in the early 2000s after entering US Navy service in the early 1980s. They are supplemented by the corvette ORP Kaszub, the patrol corvette ORP Ślązak, Orkan-class missile craft and a substantial mine warfare component. The submarine fleet is much more limited, reducing Poland’s ability to maintain a persistent underwater presence in a Baltic environment where anti-submarine warfare is once again receiving increased attention.

The combat architecture of the Miecznik class is intended to support air defense, anti-surface warfare and anti-submarine warfare from a single platform. The planned configuration includes the Mk 41 vertical launching system associated with CAMM-family surface-to-air missiles, as well as Saab RBS-15 anti-ship missiles for engagements against surface targets. The ships are also expected to carry torpedoes and naval guns, while their sensor suite will combine radar, electro-optical systems and underwater detection equipment. Compared with the Navy’s existing frigates, this configuration provides a broader engagement envelope and additional capacity for future modernization.

The hull size is central to this approach. At around 7,000 tonnes, the platform provides the internal volume and payload margins required to accommodate missile cells, aviation facilities, command spaces and multiple sensor systems without the constraints associated with smaller combatants. Its 8,000-nautical-mile range also allows deployments outside the Baltic for NATO missions or extended escort operations without frequent reliance on nearby port infrastructure. Additional accommodation can be used for aviation detachments, specialist teams or embarked command personnel.

The naval program is part of a much wider expansion of Poland’s armed forces. In 2026, Warsaw allocates around PLN 200 billion to defense when the Ministry of National Defence budget and the Armed Forces Support Fund are combined, equivalent to roughly 4.8 percent of GDP. At the same time, Polish land and air forces are absorbing new systems including M1 Abrams and K2 tanks, South Korean artillery, Wisła and Narew air-defense systems, F-35 and FA-50 combat aircraft and AH-64E attack helicopters. Miecznik therefore extends a modernization effort that has so far been more visible in the land and air domains into the maritime sector.

The frigates are intended to protect offshore installations, monitor maritime areas and engage surface, subsurface and airborne threats. PGZ specifically identifies the Baltic Pipe, offshore wind farms and telecommunications infrastructure among the assets they may be tasked to protect. The ships are also expected to escort Polish and allied naval forces, secure maritime transport and support amphibious or humanitarian operations. In the Baltic, these missions place particular emphasis on air defense and anti-submarine warfare, as shallow waters, dense commercial traffic and the proximity of land-based missile and aviation assets compress warning times and require close integration between surveillance, self-protection and rapid engagement.

The program also has an industrial dimension that goes beyond the acquisition of three ships. The frigates are being built in Poland following major investment at PGZ Stocznia Wojenna, with Warsaw seeking to retain domestic expertise in naval construction and systems integration. Cooperation with Babcock gives the Polish yard access to an established frigate design while allowing weapons, communications and mission systems to be adapted to national requirements. This approach is intended to preserve engineering capacity for future shipbuilding and modernization programs rather than relying exclusively on complete vessels built abroad.

Miecznik gradually narrows the gap between Poland’s expanding land-based military power and its more limited naval capabilities. Since Finland and Sweden joined NATO, the Baltic has become an area where Allied territory surrounds much of the maritime space, while Russian military infrastructure around Kaliningrad and Saint Petersburg remains a factor in regional planning. Three Polish frigates will not determine the naval balance by themselves, but they can provide additional air-defense, surface-warfare and anti-submarine capacity for the protection of reinforcement routes and critical infrastructure.

Written By Erwan Halna du Fretay - Defense Analyst, Army Recognition Group
Erwan Halna du Fretay holds a Master’s degree in International Relations and has experience studying conflicts and global arms transfers. His research interests lie in Security and strategic studies, particularly the dynamics of the defense industry, the evolution of military technologies, and the strategic transformation of armed forces.