With the "Miecznik" (Swordfish) frigate programme, the Polish Navy aims to expand its maritime capabilities in the long term with three newbuilds. The construction phase is scheduled to begin in 2023 at two national shipyards and the units are to be delivered between 2028 and 2034. The "Miecznik" programme is part of a EUR 115 billion investment plan over 12 years. From the bids submitted last autumn, the designs of the British "Arrowhead 140" (Babcock) and the German "MEKO-A300" (tkMS) have now been selected as meeting the requirements to the greatest extent. In addition to the capability parameters and the usability of existing national systems/devices, technology transfer, lifetime costs and modernisation potential were also taken into account.
The selected
As both offers differ only slightly according to Polish evaluations, the state-owned Polish Defence Group (PGZ) is now entering into detailed negotiations. Babcock's "Arrowhead" design, based on the Danish "Iver Huitfeldt" frigate, is a "light" multi-purpose ship weighing 5,700 tonnes, which is primarily suitable for surveillance, anti-piracy and auxiliary/support tasks in addition to submarine hunting. According to its size, it will be a stable, enduring and helicopter-friendly platform, just as the Royal Navy will have configured its "Type 31e" frigate. In contrast, the "MEKO-300A" is a fully equipped, three-dimensionally capable combat ship - with mission modules for multi-purpose tasks.
Procurement decision
It remains to be explained how a comparison of the two designs showed only a slight deviation from each other in this description. The fine-tuning will bring it out in the course of the year! What you would like - and what the budget allows. On the one hand, Poland has a historically good connection to Great Britain, on the other hand, it would be desirable that . . . the apple doesn't fall so far from the tree!
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