Poland Begins Construction of Second Miecznik-Class Frigate

Poland has started construction of the second Miecznik-class frigate at the PGZ naval shipyard in Gdynia, the Polish Ministry of National Defence announced.

The new vessel, named Burza (Storm – ed.), is scheduled to be delivered to the Polish Navy in the 2030s.

The ceremony marked the beginning of steel cutting for the ship’s hull, a symbolic step rather than an official keel-laying.

It is worth noting that this ceremony is not an official laying of the ship’s keel, but only a ritual of cutting the first metal, which will be used in the further construction of the frigate’s hull.

Poland plans to build three Miecznik-class frigates as part of its effort to modernize and expand the surface fleet. The ships are based on the British-designed Arrowhead 140 platform developed by Babcock.

The Miecznik-class frigates will have a displacement of up to 7,000 tons, a length of 138.7 meters, a beam of 19.7 meters and a draft of 5.5 meters. Each vessel will carry a crew of 100–120 and can accommodate up to 160 personnel.

According to specifications, the ships will be capable of reaching speeds of up to 26 knots, with an operational range of 6,000 nautical miles and 30-day endurance at sea.

The frigates will be equipped with multi-domain warfare armaments capable of targeting air, surface, and underwater threats.

They will include a 76mm Leonardo Super Rapid naval gun, 16 RBS-15 anti-ship cruise missiles, and a 32-cell Mk.41 vertical launch system for CAMM missiles.

The VLS system can also be configured to launch cruise and interceptor missiles.

Construction of the lead ship in the class began in August 2023. It is expected to be launched in 2026, with testing and delivery to the Navy planned between 2028 and 2030.