Frag Out! Magazine

of the patrol vessel – a lack of the hangar for a helicopter what results in the range of limitations, in particular when a vessel will be conducting operations beyond an area of the Baltic Sea. Then board of the vessel could be used for carrying the allied forces helicopters. The celebratory, third launching ends a third stage of the construction. Now the vessel stands in the fitting-out dock, where – hidden form those who are overly curious – will undergo further works. In the next weeks will be provided further elements of the equipment and armament. When these works are completed, first trials will start and the first setting afloat in the Bay of Gdańsk. The latter event should take place next year. The ORP "Ślązak", called by malicious "the fastest patrol vessel on the Baltic Sea" will be the first of two warships which are developed to order of the Polish Navy. This vessel is characterized by a displacement up to 2200 tons and a hull with dimensions 95.2 x 13.3 m. According to statements, its crew will consist of 96 seamen and additionally there is a place for VBSS boarding teams. For transport of the VBSS teams, vessel will have one rigid hull inflatable boat which will be placed on the starboard. Certainly, such a solution which results from design solutions from the turn of the centuries, is not the most effective now, however contrary to the opinions of the critics it is not outdated, either. What might be interesting, nowadays a history comes a full circle – in the coming years the Polish Navy will receive three Miecznik class costal defense vessels (that is multipurpose corvettes, but – one does not know why – in political terms, it is a name withdrawn from the dictionaries) and three Czapla class patrol vessels with a mine hunting function. All of them will be developed thanks to the Polish Armament Group and the Naval Shipyard. It probably means that an experience gained while building "Ślązak" and financial resources spent on preparing an infrastructure will be used for a construction of all six vessels. Who knows, if the Miecznik or Czapla vessels are characterized by a similar architecture to the launched "Ślazak". www.fragoutmag.com

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