PGZ Stocznia Wojenna formally unveiled the vessel under construction on the evening of August 9, 2026. The roll-out of the future ORP Wicher from the assembly hall, attended by senior representatives of the Polish Navy, the Polish Armaments Group (PGZ), and PGZ Stocznia Wojenna, marked the completion of an important stage in the construction of the first Polish frigate being built under the Miecznik program.
The future ORP Wicher before being rolled out of the Hull Assembly Hall at PGZ Naval Shipyard / Photo: Jakub Link-Lenczowski
As Jan Grabowski, member of the PGZ Management Board responsible for naval programs, told MILMAG representatives present at the event: “The roll-out of the future ORP Wicher is a symbolic moment. The Polish defense industry is demonstrating to the customer that it is delivering, on time and within budget, exactly what the customer expects.”
/ video: Jakub Link-Lenczowski, MILMAG
According to Grabowski, the next major milestones in Wicher’s construction will be shipyard and sea trials, followed by delivery of the vessel to the Polish Navy after completion of acceptance trials.
Further outfitting work will continue after the ship is launched / Photo: Przemysław Gurgurewicz
Further outfitting work will continue after the launch. At that stage, components too large to be installed inside the assembly hall, such as the masts and the Mk 41 vertical launch system, will also be fitted. The vessel will then receive its full weapons suite and electronic equipment, including Thales-supplied radars: the long-range Sea Master 400 Block 2, a medium-range radar from the Thales NS50 family, and the STIR 1.2 EO Mk 2 fire-control radar, as well as the Rohde & Schwarz KORA electronic support and electronic warfare system. A Mk 41 vertical launch system will be installed amidships, configured on the Polish frigate to carry MBDA CAMM surface-to-air missiles, with the newly developed CAMM-MR also planned for integration in the future. The vessel will also receive the remainder of its armament, including launchers for NSM anti-ship missiles and the PIT-RADWAR-produced OSU-35K artillery system armed with AM-35K cannons. The latter will complement the ship’s main gun, the OTO Melara 76/62 Super Rapid Strales, by providing short-range defense against aerial threats, including hostile unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). (Rohde & Schwarz cooperation with ELT Group in the Miecznik and F124 programs)
The ship will be fitted with and configured for both hull-mounted and towed sonar systems / Photo: Przemysław Gurgurewicz
Following the launch, the Thales Blue Hunter hull-mounted sonar will also be installed and configured. It will be complemented by the CAPTAS-2 towed sonar, likewise supplied by Thales. All of the ship’s systems will be integrated through the Thales TACTICOS Combat Management System (CMS).
The ship was unveiled with its forecastle painted in the pattern of the Polish Navy ensign / Photo: Jakub Link-Lenczowski
As a result, the Wicher-class ships will receive an integrated mission system enabling, among other capabilities, surveillance of the surface, air, and underwater domains, command support, and employment of the ship’s weapons. The complete system is intended to support a broad spectrum of missions, including the protection of maritime supply routes and critical infrastructure. In addition, the installed equipment will allow Wicher-class ships to exchange data and conduct joint operations with other NATO units both in littoral waters and during ocean-going operations as part of larger naval task groups.
The Polish ships, based on the British Arrowhead 140 design developed by Babcock, have been configured as multirole vessels capable of conducting air-defense operations as well as detecting and engaging submarines and surface vessels. Future maritime helicopters of the Polish Navy will also be able to operate from Wicher.
