Poland Launches Wicher, First of Its Miecznik-Class Frigates

Poland launched Wicher, the first of three planned Miecznik-class (Project 106) frigates for the Polish Navy, on August 13, 2026, at Gdynia. Rather than a traditional slipway launch, the ship was floated off using the semi-submersible heavy-transport barge Boabarge 33 in the Gulf of Gdańsk, which was gradually submerged until Wicher became buoyant, after which tugboats moved the frigate away.

At a Glance

Ship: Wicher, first vessel of the Miecznik class (Project 106)
Naming/christening ceremony: August 12, 2026, attended by President Karol Nawrocki and Prime Minister Donald Tusk
Launch date: August 13, 2026
Launch method: semi-submersible barge Boabarge 33, Gulf of Gdańsk
Builder: PGZ Stocznia Wojenna shipyard, Gdynia, Poland
Length: approximately 138 metres
Maximum beam: approximately 20 metres
Maximum displacement: approximately 7,000 tonnes
Top speed: 28 knots
Range: approximately 8,000 nautical miles
Propulsion: CODAD (Combined Diesel and Diesel), four diesel engines
Design basis: Babcock Arrowhead 140 / Type 31 frigate design
Program: three ships total — Wicher (first), Burza (second, keel laid December 2025, in advanced construction), Huragan (third, construction began April 2026)
First steel cut: August 16, 2023; keel laid: January 31, 2024; entry into service: 2029 (planned)

Background

The Miecznik (“Swordfish”) program is intended to replace Poland’s aging, US-built Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigates with a new generation of surface combatants. The design is based on the Babcock Arrowhead 140, the same platform underpinning the UK Royal Navy’s Type 31 frigates. First steel for Wicher was cut on August 16, 2023, with the keel laid on January 31, 2024. The program’s second ship, Burza, had its keel laid in December 2025 and is now in advanced construction, while work on the third vessel, Huragan, began in April 2026. All three frigates are scheduled to enter service by 2029.

What This Means for Turkey

Poland’s Miecznik program reflects a broader NATO-wide trend of member states building domestically flagged frigate classes in partnership with foreign designers — a pattern Turkey’s own naval shipbuilding program is also part of. Turkey has pursued a comparable approach through its MILGEM family, producing the Istanbul-class corvettes and frigates domestically and exporting the design to Pakistan and Ukraine. Poland’s use of the British Arrowhead 140 design, built at its own PGZ Stocznia Wojenna shipyard, mirrors the balance many NATO navies are striking between leveraging proven foreign designs and expanding domestic production capacity — a balance Turkey has similarly navigated in its own fleet modernization.

FAQ

Why was Wicher launched using a barge instead of a traditional slipway?
The frigate was floated off the semi-submersible heavy-transport barge Boabarge 33 in the Gulf of Gdańsk, which was gradually submerged until the ship became buoyant, after which tugboats moved it clear.

How many ships are in the Miecznik program?
Three: Wicher (launched August 2026), Burza (keel laid December 2025, in advanced construction), and Huragan (construction began April 2026).

When will Wicher enter service?
The frigate is scheduled to enter service with the Polish Navy in 2029.