Marek Grzybowski – Correspondence especially for eBlue Economy

Poland is accelerating work on introducing 3 frigates to the Polish Navy. The  PGZ-MIECZNIK consortium updated and handed to MOD’s Armament Agency the Industrial Feasibility Study and the MIECZNIK frigate Preliminary Design at the end of November.

The extensive documentation describes the exact process for the MIECZNIK project. The approved documents will be the basis for negotiation talks on the final configuration of the frigates and the exact cost estimate.

– We have completed a very important stage of project development for us. We provided the ordering party with a preliminary design – emphasized Cezary Cierzan, director of the Miecznik programme at Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa S.A. in his speech. (Polish Armament Group – PGZ S.A.)

– The program is implemented in accordance with the assumed schedules and rules agreed with the Armament Agency, which conducts the entire procurement procedure, where there is a fundamental interest of state security – said Cezary Cierzan.

Gdynia Project Management Office

The meeting took place at the Project Management Office (PMO) of the Polish Armament Group (PGZ S.A.) at the Baltic Port of New Technologies (BPNT) in Gdynia.

The Baltic Port of New Technologies in Gdynia is a zone for the construction of innovative ships at the CRIST Shipyard and conversion of ships into environmentally friendly ships at the NAUTA Shipyard.

BPNT in Gdynia operates in the Pomeranian Special Economic Zone, which was recognized by “Forbs” experts as the second special economic zone in Europe and the seventh special economic zone in the world.

Three frigates will be built by the PGZ-MIECZNIK consortium. The consortium was formed by Poland’s Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa, PGZ Stocznia Wojenna and Remontowa Shipbuilding.

The pace of work and timeliness demonstrates the Group’s strong commitment to the project. The first multi-purpose boat is scheduled to be launched in 2026, and commissioned in 2028, with subsequent boats following in 2029 and 2031.

PGZ Stocznia Wojenna operates in close proximity to the Baltic Port of New Technologies in Gdynia. Remontowa Shipbuilding in Gdańsk has built a series of tugs and special purpose vessels for the Polish Navy. Now it is building a series of 6 minehunters for the Polish Navy.

The MIECZNIK Programme

– The first multi-purpose boat is scheduled to be launched in 2026, and commissioned in 2028, with subsequent boats following in 2029 and 2031.

We have a detailed list of engineering and technical staff in Poland that will participate in the construction of frigates – emphasizes director Cierzan.

Strategic partners in the program are Babcock International (responsible for technology transfer, Arrowhead 140 based platform design), Thales UK (supplier of key components of the Integrated Combat System) and MBDA UK (providing the air defense system).

The frigates built by the consortium will enhance Polish Navy capabilities: they will secure critical infrastructure in the Baltic and protect transport routes at sea. Thanks to them, Poland will also be able to engage to a greater extent in its allied obligations under the North Atlantic Treaty Organization –  informed PGZ reprezentatives.

Under the TOKAT framework contract, Babcock will share its technology, engineering expertise and industry know-how with PGZ S.A., PGZ SW and Remontowa Ship Building with the aim to transform their shipyards and deliver the MIECZNIK programme for the Polish Navy.

The cooperation will include human resources development and staff training, support in infrastructure upgrades planning and the implementation of tools and technologies – informed „Naval News”.

UK – Polish cooperation

– Babcock is currently working closely in Poland with two other British companies: Thales UK and MBDA UK, the UK government and the UK Royal Navy, supporting a consortium of Polish shipyards and other industrial partners gathered around the implementation of the MIECZNIK programme.

On the basis of jointly gathered knowledge and experience of “Team UK”, which Babcock, Thales UK and MBDA UK are willing to share with the Polish partners of the programme within the framework of strategic cooperation agreements, the PGZ-MIECZNIK Consortium plans to modernise the Polish shipbuilding industry through the transfer of knowledge and technology from the UK – informed Krystian Wyrzykowski from „Poland @ Sea”.

MIECZNIK Supplier’s Day was organized at PGZ Stocznia Wojenna a week earlier. 70 people representing 40 companies and institutions attended the meeting.

These were potential suppliers of services and equipment from Poland. Experts presented how the project is run, presented its stages and discussed specialist issues of the entire project.

The project will be implemented under the supervision of Lloyd’s Register, even though Poland has a Polish Register of Shipping (PRS). PRS has decades of experience in supervising and certifying the production of warships.

On the Polish Armament Group (PGZ S.A.) website there is a place: Become a supplier for a “Miecznik” https://grupapgz.pl/projekt/miecznik/

The Miecznik frigates will revolutionize both the Polish Navy and the domestic shipbuilding industry – informed „Polska Zbrojna”. Krzysztof Wilewski writes:

The [Polish Army] Technical Modernization Plan for 2013–2022, adopted in 2012, assumed that during those ten years the Polish Army  would mainly concentrate on building its deterrence capabilities.

The Polish Navy was not expected to play an important role, so only three new types of surface combat platforms were to be procured: Kormoran minehunters, Czapla patrol vessels with mine countermeasure functions, and Miecznik coastal defense vessels.  

The expansion and modernization of the Polish Army and Polish Navy accelerated after Russia invaded Ukraine.

Photos: Babcok, PGZ, Marek Grzybowski