During the christening ceremony, the ship was named Wicher by its sponsor, Agata Ziemiańska, wife of the Inspector of the Polish Navy, Vice Admiral Jarosław Ziemiański. After reciting the traditional formula, “Sail the seas and oceans of the world, bringing honor to the shipbuilder and the Polish sailor. I name you Wicher,” the sponsor cut the line and released a bottle of champagne, which smashed against the ship’s bow (Future Polish Navy frigate ORP Wicher rolled out ahead of launch).
The ceremony was attended by Poland’s highest state authorities, led by President Karol Nawrocki and Prime Minister Donald Tusk
During the ceremony, the frigate Wicher was positioned aboard the specialized semi-submersible barge Boabarge 33, which will be used to launch the ship into the waters of the Gulf of Gdańsk the following day, August 13. As Marcin Ryngwelski, President of PGZ Stocznia Wojenna, told MILMAG, under the current plan the barge is expected to leave the port of Gdynia at around 5:00 a.m.
After anchoring in the Gulf of Gdańsk, the barge will begin to submerge gradually. Wicher is expected to be afloat at around noon. The frigate will then be towed back to PGZ Stocznia Wojenna and moored at the Guest Quay, where outfitting work will continue over the next two years.
Harbor acceptance tests (HAT) are planned to begin around September–October 2028. They are expected to last approximately eight to ten months, with the ship’s sea trials scheduled to begin around May–June 2029. Delivery of the frigate to the customer is planned by the end of 2029.
/Photos: Przemysław Gurgurewicz
Two additional Miecznik frigates, to be named Burza and Huragan, are already under construction. The ships are expected to be delivered at roughly one-year intervals. Burza is planned to be launched in late 2027 or early 2028, while Huragan is expected to follow in early 2029 (Arrowhead 140 – od brytyjskich fregat typu 31 do ORP Wicher).