A still from the video showing the new antenna arrangement of the SM410 system. The new deckhouse can be seen with the antenna “looking” backwards. (Photo: Babcock)Latest Details on Poland’s Miecznik Frigate ProgramDuring the MSPO fair in Kielce (3rd-6th September), the PGZ-MIECZNIK consortium presented the status of the program for the construction of three Miecznik-class frigates for the Polish Navy. On this occasion, new details on the technical innovations of the platform and its combat system were revealed.Tomasz Grotnik 12 Sep 2024
According to statements by representatives of the consortium, work on the future ORP Wicher is progressing on schedule, and will not be adjusted for the time being.
To date, the first 300-ton mega block has been built, has already been brought out of the hall, and is being painted (as of early September). The upper part of the mega block is expected to be ready by the end of the first quarter of 2025, and the stern mega block will be built by the end of June next year. The bow mega block is being produced by a subcontractor.
First, 300-tonnes, megablock outside the production hall. (photo PGZ Stocznia Wojenna)The Crist shipyard from Gdynia replaced Remontowa Shipbuilding from Gdansk in this role. This part of the Wicher should be ready by the end of 2025. The ship’s launch is expected to take place in the second quarter of 2026, with a very high completion rate, set at around 95%.
Latest design changes of Miecznik frigate
Slide from a PGZ-MIECZNIK presentation showing changes in mast design. (Photo: PGZ-MIECZNIK)The slides of the PGZ-MIECZNIK consortium presentation, and a promotional video on display at Babcock International’s booth, showed the latest silhouette of the Miecznik-class frigate.
The most significant change in the design is the relocation of one of the antennas of the Thales Sea Master SM410 radar system from the forward mast to the new small superstructure. Sea Master uses four AESA antenna fixed panels, which in their original configuration were arranged on a mast on the forward superstructure. This arrangement caused the antenna “looking” toward the aft hemisphere to have blind sectors of observation. To avoid this inconvenience, the SM410’s stern panel was moved to a new deckhouse, set up on the hangar roof. That’s also where some of the communications antennas, until now located on the center mast, went. The new deckhouse also has space for the Rohde & Schwarz Kora RESM/CESM system antenna and the ZGS-35K rear E/O head.
The solution is not new. It was used on the Israeli Sa’ar 6-class corvettes and the German F125 Baden-Württmeberg-class frigates, and more recently on the Dutch ASWF frigates. On the Miecznik, the rear antenna is installed well below the level of the others. This is similar to the solution adopted on the ASWF. The new deckhouse cannot be higher, as it would interfere with the ship’s stability. For this reason, the SM410’s rear antenna has less ability to detect low-flying targets, but this disadvantage is compensated for by using the NS58 system with AESA rotating antenna.
The new graphics also show other changes. The placement of some sensors has been optimized, including: navigation radars, the ZGS-35K forward E/O head, and communications systems antennas.
Also interesting news is the abandonment of Saab RBS-15 Mk3E anti-ship missiles. They will be replaced by Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace NSM Block 1A with a range of “more than 250 km”. The basic configuration includes eight missiles (four containers each on two racks). The possibility of taking an additional eight is envisioned. Graphics show the additional missile containers arranged in pairs and “scattered around the upper deck”, generally in ‘vacant places.’ Some of them fire towards the stern, which is rather uncommon on other frigates.
Another minor change is also the replacement on the SAES DDS-03 sonar for detecting frogmen by the Wavefront Sentinel IDS system.
Still to be selected and contracted are suppliers of, among other things, a national communications system (for transmitting information about the ship’s operational situation) and two remotely operated weapon stations with machine guns.
Combat system of the Miecznik-class frigate (first of class only):
1 – Thales CAPTAS-2 VDS, 2 – provision for a medium size helicopter, 3 -35mm remote controlled weapon station PIT-RADWAR OSU-35K, 4 – navigational radar, 5 – Thales Sea Master 410 multifunction radar, 6 – PIT-RADWAR ZGS-35K E/O system, 7 – communication antenna, 8 – Rohde & Schwarz Kora RESM/CESM system antenna, 9 – Kongsberg NSM anti-ship missiles, 10 – Thales TSA 6000 IFF interrogator, 11 – Thales NS58 air & surface surveillance radar, 12 – Thales Artemis IRST, 13 – Thales STIR 1.2 EO Mk2 fire control system, 14 – Leonardo 76/62 Super Rapid Strales automatic gun, 15 – Thales Blue Hunter hull mounted sonar, 16 – Thales TUUM-6 underwater communication system, 17 – Terma C-Guard decoy launchers, 18 – EuroTorp B515 torpedo tubes, 19 – RHIB/UAV 11,5m, 20 – RHIB/UAV 7,5m, 21 – provision for a small calibre remote controlled weapon station. (Drawing by Tomasz Grotnik)
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