Frag Out! Magazine
Issue link: https://fragout.uberflip.com/i/1150145
241 Ä Soft-kill system including decoy launchers with decoys being able to jam radar and optical seekers. SKWS, MASS or SRBOC systems were all considered to be fitted onboard, depending on the program's phase. In order to turn Ślązak into a truly versatile vessel, the aforesaid armament should also be complemented with measures that would make it possible to carry out effective ASW operations: Ä Hydroacoustic suite consisting of an under-keel sonar, active VDS system and passive towed TAS system. Thales UMS 4111 sonar and CAPTAS systems family constitute a very popular. The vessel also has some spare space available to embed the sonars within its hull. Ä It could also be considered to fit the warship with a towed tor- pedo decoy or to acquire torpedo decoys for the soft kill system launchers Ä Two double or triple torpedo launchers. Originally the launchers were to be fitted within the superstructure, on both sides of the exhaust system. Currently this space is taken by the remote-control Marlin-WS systems with 30 mm guns. These systems should be removed from the vessel. The list above may seem impressive and it would surely turn Ślązak into a modern corvette that would have capabilities adequate to con- duct naval operations. At the same time, the price tag of a single set of the aforesaid equipment and armament could be as high as half of the amount already spent on building the vessel. For that reason reboot of the Miecznik program creates a more optimistic prospect of modernizing the vessel - as acquisition couple sets of armament package would drive the unit price down and, additionally, it would also make it possible to unify the equipment between Ślązak and the new vessels. However, extra equipment is needed even if Ślązak is to remain an OPV. The following elements should be considered a bare minimum for the warship: Ä RAM/SeaRAM CIWS Ä SIGINT system Ä Laser warning receivers, Ä Decoy launchers It would be highly desirable to provide Ślązak with a UAV (Schiebel S-100 for instance), and create some space for the UAVs storage and maintenance in the area adjacent to the helipad. UAVs would be able to replace the capabilities offered by an helicopter to a certain extent. Lack of the ability to allow for a permanent presence of the helicopter onboard is the most serious disadvantage of the vessel. When one considers the modernization potential of the vessel, it shall be taken into account that not only would funding be required to place the new systems onboard, as a displacement reserve would also come in handy - at least 60 tonnes would be required, 80 tonnes being optimal. Conflicting and almost unverifiable reports and ru- mors emerge, when it comes to the displacement reserve available in case of the Ślązak OPV. This creates some doubts, when it comes to possible modernization options. Summary No clear-cut assessment is possible, when it comes to the Ślązak OPV. Furthermore, it would probably be difficult to find a modernization pro- gram carried out by the Polish military, that invokes so many doubts. Among the negative aspects, one should list the lack of financing cush- ion available when the corvettes program entered its key phase. The above greatly extended the build period, with terms when no work was being carried out at all, which, all in all, made the whole process much longer. The program was not supported by the MoD either, considering development of Ślązak and the Navy itself to be irrelevant. Ultimately the program, that survived the cuts and insufficient financing, resulted in creation of another single-child, alongside the ORP Kaszub. This took 18 years of interrupted effort. The vessel would become an elephant in the room with mission that would be difficult to define. When it comes to positive aspects of the project, one should really appre- ciate the determination of the builders and of the sailors who, by getting involved in a joint effort, ultimately finalized the works, carried out the sea trials successfully (unless an unexpected problem appears at the final stage) and are going to adopt Ślązak soon. The Navy, to maintain at least a limited potential, is in a desperate need of acquiring new surface combatants. For that reason, one should hope that once Ślązak becomes a part of the Polish Navy's fleet, this would lead to a decision on launching the "Miecznik" program aimed at acquiring new surface combatants for the Polish fleet. Decision as such would create a realistic prospect: Ślązak could receive extra armament then. Furthermore, the future of the Navy would become much brighter. If no decision as such is made soon, ORP Ślązak would only remain a symbol of the Navy's decline. NAVY