Frag Out! Magazine
Issue link: https://fragout.uberflip.com/i/1407425
Rakietowa, MJR) has taken over the responsibility of such ves- sels. It is an element that is far more resilient, exhibits greater survivability, and has greater firepower at its disposal. Kormoran The program aimed at building the modern Kormoran II class MC- MVs can be considered to be one of a few successes the Polish Navy had, in the modernization process. Currently, the work on the three ordered vessels is all progressing towards successful completion. In late 2019, on October 10th, the soon-to-be ORP Albatros was launched (second of the Kormoran II class vessels). Mewa, the third MCMV, had its keel-laying ceremony organized on the same date. The latter warship was launched on Decem- ber 17th, 2020. The brand-new MCMVs are planned to be com- missioned in late 2021 (Albatros), and in early 2022 (Mewa). These events would conclude the current program that has been focused on the acquisition of three minehunters. How- suggests, that the Polish MoD is about to launch the "Murena" program. This refers to a procurement initiative that would lead to the acquisition of six [sic!] new small missile boats for the Polish Navy. These warships are expected to be built in Poland. No specifics are known, when it comes to the performance fig- ures and specifications of those vessels. The concepts for the Murena program so far involved very small boats - even in the missile boat domain, these vessels were tiny. They would be characterized by displacement of around 500 tonnes, with 50 meters long hulls. They would, however, be very fast - with a top speed of up to 50 knots. The vessels would be armed with a medium caliber gun, eight anti-ship missiles, and artillery- or missile-based CIWS. The attempts that the Polish Navy is making at procuring small attack warships are disputable - both within the context of the ultimately canceled Orkan upgrade, as well as in the case of the Murena program. The Naval Missile Unit (Morska Jednostka NAVY