NavyRecognition is reporting that Poland has floated out an OPV. This ship like the Israeli OPVs discussed in my previous post is a MEKO A-100 design. The NavyRecognition post includes a photo of the vessel in its current state and an artist’s concept of the finished product.

This project has had a long gestation period. The ship was laid down in 2001. It began as a project to build seven corvettes referred to as the Gowron class, but funding was not forthcoming, and the project was cancelled, leaving the first ship of the class on the ways, largely complete structurally but without its expensive weapons systems. Ultimately they made a decision to complete the ship as an OPV without the planned anti-ship and anti-aircraft missiles and anti-submarine systems.

There is more information and photos here.

“Standard displacement mass of the vessel is to be as much as 1800 tonnes, total length – 95.2 m (312.3 ft), width – 13.5 m (44.3 ft), height to the level of the board – 9.35 m, displacement – 3.6 m. The ship is to be able to operate autonomously for a period of 30 days.

“Mixed propulsion system consists of 2 main engines (power output: 2 x 3240 kW) and a turbine, maximum power of which is to be as much as 25 000 Kw. All that is to allow the ship to reach speeds of up to 30 knots. Range of the vessel – 2000 NM at at 18 knots and  4500 NM at 14 knots. Ship’s power plant is equipped with 4 generators, 600 kW each. Additional equipment includes bow azimuth thruster, which improves manoeuvrability, and active stabilizers, which improve comfort for the crew.”

The ship’s weapons will be:
» 1x Oto Melara 76mm main gun
» 2x Oto Melara Marlin WS 30mm remote weapon stations
» 4x GROM Short range surface to air missile launchers
» 4x 12.7 mm machine guns

This is typical OPV weaponry with the exception of the GROM missile systems which are relatively simple MANPADS (man portable air defense systems).