Babcock announced on 3 September 2024 that it has signed a contract extension with the Polish Armaments Group (PGZ) to continue supporting Poland’s Miecznik frigate programme through the project’s Programme Management Office (PMO) until the delivery of ship three in 2031.
Following a strategic co-operation agreement signed in 2022 between Babcock and the PGZ-Miecznik consortium, Babcock secured a class design contract, project management office support contract and a transfer of knowledge and technology framework agreement in relation to the Miecznik frigates – the latter providing broader support in the development of the programme and the enhancement of shipbuilding capability in Poland.
A design licence agreement with the PGZ-Miecznik consortium was finalised in 2023, allowing the construction of three frigates for the Polish Navy based on Babcock’s AH140 design (the parent design for the UK Royal Navy’s Type 31 frigates).
The support Babcock has provided to the PGZ-Miecznik consortium throughout the programme will now continue for the remainder of the project, “building on the close ties forged between Babcock and its Polish partners”, the company stated.
Babcock currently has a number of personnel in Poland supporting the Miecznik programme, which varies depending on the need of the programme schedule. The company has a headquarters in Warsaw as well as an office in Gdynia, where the frigates are built.
Phil Craig, Babcock’s managing director for international shipbuilding, was quoted in a company press release as saying, “We are proud to support the Miecznik programme and helping to grow the sovereign defence capability of Poland. Our team provides a critical role in bringing real-time advice and expertise from our longstanding experience in global design, build and support programmes.
“With plans on developing strategic partnerships in Poland for future defence programmes, and with a long-term goal to be a sustained part of Poland’s armaments ecosystem, our commitment to Poland has been many years in the making and we are pleased to be making a positive impact,” he added.
Jan Grabowski, from PGZ’s management board, said: “The quality of the construction depends on the foundations on which it is built. Together with Babcock, we have taken on the challenge of designing and building multi-role frigates for the Polish Navy. Being aware of how much work and how many challenges are still ahead of us, we will jointly focus to achieve the goal – to strengthen the naval component of the Polish armed forces with Miecznik frigates.”
The first Miecznik frigate is expected to enter service around 2029.
