Poland Launches the Last Kormoran II-Class Minesweeper

Poland has launched the sixth and final Kormoran II-class minesweeper.

The Polish Ministry of National Defence announced this.

The launching ceremony took place at the Remontowa Shipbuilding S.A. shipyard in Gdańsk and was attended by Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz.

The new ship has been named Czajka (Seagull) and is expected to enter service in 2027, strengthening the capabilities of the Polish Navy and joining the 12th Minesweeper Division of the 8th Coastal Defense Flotilla in Świnoujście.

Meanwhile, the Rybitwa minesweeper of the same class is also planned to be commissioned.

Construction of the Czajka began in December 2024.

Project history

Work on the Kormoran project started in 1999, but in 2002 the program to create a new minesweeper for the Polish Navy was halted due to financial difficulties. The project was resumed in 2011, when development continued under the designation Kormoran II.

In 2013, the Polish Ministry of National Defence signed a contract with Remontowa Shipbuilding for the construction of the lead ship, with an option for two more.

Construction of the first minesweeper began in 2014, and by 2017 it had entered service with the Polish Navy. That same year, the Ministry of Defense exercised the option and ordered two additional ships.

In 2022, the Polish Navy received the second minesweeper of the series, Albatros, and signed a contract for the construction of three more ships. In 2023, the third minesweeper, Mewa, entered service.

Construction of the fourth ship, Jaskółka, began in March 2023, and its commissioning is scheduled for July 2026. In December 2023, construction of the minesweeper Rybitwa started, and metal cutting for the sixth hull of the series – Czajka – took place in October 2024.

Kormoran II specifications

The displacement of the Kormoran II-class minesweepers is 850 tons. The hull length is 58.5 meters, and the width is 10.3 meters.

The hull is made of non-magnetic steel, which reduces vulnerability to mines with magnetic fuses. The ship can reach speeds of up to 15 knots and has a range of at least 2,500 nautical miles.

The crew consists of 45 personnel, with accommodation available for an additional seven landing troops.

The mine-countermeasure equipment includes the SHL-101/T mine detector, Double Eagle Mk III remotely operated underwater vehicles from the Swedish company Saab, Polish modular Morswin vehicles, and disposable Glupta mine destroyers.

The ship’s armament consists of an anti-aircraft system with two 23 mm guns, four Grom MANPADS, and four 12.7 mm machine guns.