Frag Out! Magazine
Issue link: https://fragout.uberflip.com/i/1407425
the dubious nature of the air defense capability of these vessels. Theoretically, the gun at the bow is used for that purpose. But the fact that no modern (ABM) ammunition is available leaves the Orkans helpless when confronted even with the less dangerous air threats. Grom MANPADS act as a complementary measure. Apart from the limited range and ceiling at which missiles as such are effective, they are handled by hand, by sailors, who remain unprotected, and are exposed to weather, and the elements. No advanced targeting systems are available to them as well. The list of disadvantages was growing. Recently, the fact that the pow- erplants of these vessels are reaching the end of their lifetimes is concerning. Orkans use three M520 diesel engines by Zvezda (formerly Soviet, now - Russian). The engines, the design of which dates back to the 1970s, offer no reasonable fuel economy, short maintenance intervals, which, when fused with the lack of spares, would be generating increasingly more problems, tied to the ves- sels' propulsion. A similar list of issues is associated with the AK- 176M gun that the Orkan vessels use. Sourcing spares and am- munition for these guns is becoming a major challenge. One could defend the experts deciding on the scope of modern- ization envisaged for the Żeglarek program, using two, relevant arguments. First, the Polish Navy suffered from permanent bud- getary limitations. This is why the Navy is always forced to seek compromise in its attempts to stay afloat. The second argument brought up took on the form of the then plans made concerning the vessels' future lifecycle. The Orkan-class warships were to be withdrawn after 3 decades of service (2022-2025). The capabil- ity gap created by this was to be filled by newly built multi-role corvettes. It all ended up being just an ambitious plan, as it hap- pens usually in the case of the Polish Navy modernization. The sad reality in the Polish Navy, resulting on the grounds of in- sufficient modernization budget, forced the admiralty to change its intentions. The Orkan-class vessels would remain in service longer than previously expected. Just recently, according to a re- lease issued by the Armament Inspectorate, the Navy was willing to upgrade these, to diminish and rectify some of the aforesaid problems. The scope of modernization was to cover a complete retrofitting of the propulsion. The worn-out diesel engines were to be replaced with MTU engines. The auxiliary engine room's elec- tricity generators were also to be replaced, with modern coun- terparts. It was planned that new shafts and two new thrusters would also be applied. To make the work as such possible, the hulls were to be overhauled or even redesigned. Apart from the powerplant, the armament was also to change. The AK-176M gun was to be replaced by the Bofors 57 Mk 3 system. Another option considered here was the replacement of the Thales Tacticos combat management system, with the SAAB 9LV CMS solution. PGZ Stocznia Wojenna (former Polish Navy Shipyard) was to act as the contractor, in case of this program. Ultimately, the MoD resigned from modernization so broad, in late NAVY