Polish Armament Inspectorate signed the contract for finalization of the ORP Slazak patrol vessel construction process. The contract was signed between the Inspectorate and joint venture of Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa and PGZ Stocznia Wojenna. Contract`s schedule assumes that the port, sea trails will start in July 2018 and finish by the end of March 2019, when the vessel will be passed onto the Polish Navy. Contract`s value wasn`t revealed and the information about the final negations was unveiled by the Polish Minister of Defence.

ORP Slazak`s construction started in 2001. At the time vessel was designed as a multi-mission corvette based on 621 Gawron project. If the shipyard keeps the agreed schedule, Slazak will be passed to the Navy 17 years after the project had started /Photo: Piotr Leoniak

ORP Slazak`s construction started in 2001. At the time vessel was designed as a multi-mission corvette based on 621 Gawron project. If the shipyard keeps the agreed schedule, Slazak will be passed to the Navy 17 years after the project had started /Photo: Piotr Leoniak

The keel for the multi-mission 621 Gawron corvette (initial design of the ORP Slazak) was laid on the 28th November 2001. The hull was launched on the 11th of September 2009. Shortly after Ministry of Defence reduced financing for this project. In 2012 it was decided that the vessel will become a patrol ship. Official launch and christening took place on the 2nd of July 2015, after which the vessel was brought back into the dry-dock and the construction continued. Third launch took place on the 23rd of November 2015.

At first the vessel was to reach the Navy in November 2016. The date was moved to the middle of 2017 or start of 2018. In January 2018 work has stopped and 2 months later Armament Inspectorate obtained the vessel from the official receiver of the bankrupt shipyard and the construction process was to be finished by the newly created PGZ Stocznia Wojenna shipyard. Until than, the project`s costs reached PLN 1,171 billion (EUR 267 million).

Description
ORP Slazak is 95,2 m long, 13,5 m wide and 9,35 m high (to the open deck). It has 3,6 m draft and 1800 t of standard displacement. CODAG (Combined Diesel and Gas Turbine) propulsion consists of 2 MTU12V 595 TE90 diesel engines (3240 kW each), Ge/Avio LM-2500 gas turbine (25 000 kW) and four 600 kW generators. Top speed is above 30 knots and the vessel is autonomous up to 30 days with 4500 nautical miles range. ORP Slazak has a prow-mounted azimuth propeller and an active stabilization system.

The vessel is armed with OTO Melara Super Rapid L/62 76-mm auto cannon, 2 Marlin-WS 30-mm cannons, 4 short range anti-aircraft GROM missile launchers and 4 ZMT WKM-Bm 12,7-mm heavy machine guns. Other equipment includes Thales TACTICOS command system, Thales SMART-S Mk 2 radiolocation unit, L3 ELAC Nautic Vanguard sonar, Thales Mirador optoelectrical head, Thales STIR 1.2 EO (STING-EO) Mk 2 fire control system and various communication and navigation systems.

ORP Slazak will be mainly tasked with surface vessels engagement, anti-air missions and protection against asymmetrical warfare threats. It will also patrol and secure approach and shipping routes, escort civilian ships, combat piracy, cooperate with special forces and take part in humanitarian endeavors.