Tusk Declares Poland Will Become a Military Maritime Power

Prime Minister Donald Tusk hailed the Polish shipbuilding industry as a source of pride during an announcement highlighting billions in naval investments and future submarine programs.

A Milestone for Polish Shipbuilding

Prime Minister Donald Tusk recalled the years 2013-2014 when projects like “Miecznik” and “Kormoran” were first conceived, noting that it took many years to reach this moment. He stated that today the Polish shipbuilding industry, both civilian and military, is a source of pride, representing thousands of jobs, top technologies, and major investments.

Tusk noted that the construction of additional units under the “Miecznik” program—the ORP Burza and ORP Huragan—will begin in the near future. The prime minister emphasized that the total “Miecznik” program amounts to 15 billion zlotys and drew attention to the participation of Polish companies in the construction of the Wicher frigate.

Deterrence and Baltic Infrastructure Defense

Asserting that Poland will become a naval power in the military dimension as well, Tusk stated that a potential attacker would think twice before taking hostile action. This deterrence relies on capabilities such as the ORP Wicher, upcoming ships under construction, and submarines from the “Orka” program.

Tusk added that such investments stem from the necessity to defend Polish infrastructure on the Baltic Sea. This includes ports, the nuclear power plant, offshore installations, and a reviving fleet, requiring the Baltic to be treated as a Polish sea that demands defense.

The “Miecznik” Modernization Program

“Miecznik” is currently the largest modernization program for the Polish Navy, aimed at building three modern multi-role frigates to form the core combat strength of the Polish fleet by replacing outdated Oliver Hazard Perry-class ships. The completion of the entire program is scheduled for the end of 2031.

The naming and christening ceremony for the Wicher frigate is scheduled for Wednesday, August 12, ahead of noon, with participation from figures including President Karol Nawrocki, Prime Minister Tusk, and Minister of National Defense Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz. The actual launching is planned for the following day.

The Miecznik frigates are modern multi-role vessels based on the British Arrowhead 140 design, adapted to the requirements specified by the Polish military. The project involves foreign partners, primarily British company Babcock as the vessel design owner, alongside the PGZ Miecznik enterprise established under the auspices of PGZ.

One of the main tasks of the frigates will be air defense, equipped with British CAMM and CAMM-ER air defense missile launchers. The Miecznik will also feature cannons with a range of up to 40 km and anti-ship missiles capable of striking targets at distances exceeding 200 km.