Babcock's Arrowhead 140 was awarded the contract in the Polish frigate procurement programme Projekt Miecznik. This was announced by the Polish Ministry of Defence via twitter on 4 March 2022.
The consortium responsible for the construction, led by Holding Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa (PGZ), announced that "strategic co-operation agreements" have been signed with Babcock and British branches of Thales and MBDA. PGZ added that the signing of the contract "begins the phase of preparation for production under the programme to acquire three multipurpose frigates for the Polish Navy".
Poland initially wants to build just one frigate from 2023. After commissioning in 2028, the concept is to be tested in realisation. The test results are to be incorporated into the construction of the second and third frigates. The entire Miecznik project should be completed by 2034.
The co-operation agreement between PGZ and Babcock provides for the Miecznik units to be built in Polish shipyards with the "significant involvement of Polish suppliers and Babcock's global supply chain". In addition, Babcock will continue to support the construction of MIECZNIK frigates in Poland through a licence agreement after completion of production.
Alongside Babcock International, Kiel-based thyssenkrupp Marine Systems had been shortlisted for the Polish frigate procurement programme Miecznik (Swordfish). Three new frigates are to be procured as part of the programme, which is worth around PLN 8 billion (USD 2 billion). They are to replace the two frigates ORP 272 "Generał Kazimierz Pułaski" and ORP 273 "Generał Tadeusz Kościuszko" of the Oliver Hazard Perry class.
Arrowhead 140, 138.7 metres long with a displacement of 5700 tonnes, is based on the Danish frigate class Iver Huitfeldt. With four MTU 8.2 MW diesel engines, it is designed to reach a speed of 26 knots and, at least in the version for the Royal Navy, is equipped with the MBDA Sea Ceptor surface-to-air system with two vertical launchers, a 57 mm turret and two 40 mm cannons. Arrowhead 140 is also capable of carrying a helicopter and an aerial drone.
In the field of electronics, Thales UK is to supply the TACTICOS combat system in conjunction with the NS110 3D radar.
According to Babcock, the design and planning work for the system integration, which is now to begin, will be completed before the end of 2022.
Babcock was awarded the contract to build the Type 31 frigates by the British Ministry of Defence in November 2019. With its partner Thales, Babcock will receive five ships at an average production cost of GBP 250 million per ship (figures at the time). The steel cutting for the first unit, "HMS Venturer", took place in September 2021 in the presence of British Defence Secretary Ben Wallace.
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