The christening and launching ceremony of the sixth Kormoran II class minehunter – ORP “Czajka” – took place at the Remontowa Shipbuilding shipyard in Gdańsk.
The newbuilding “Czajka” is intended for the Polish Navy. It is a minehunter for the 8th Flotilla, the third in the series. According to Polish Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, the Kormoran ships are serving the navy well. For example, the ORP “Albatros” had recently returned from joint exercises with Finland, where it had proven itself very well, Kosiniak-Kamysz said at the naming and launching ceremony. According to the Minister of Defense, the new ship will serve to build up further capabilities – frigates, rescue ships, ships for radio and electronic reconnaissance and minehunting boats such as the “Czajka” are all part of this.
Threats in the Baltic Sea
The Minister recalled the current threats and challenges for the Polish Navy in the Baltic Sea. Following the accession of Finland and Sweden to NATO, the Baltic Sea has become an area of growing security on the one hand, but also the scene of hybrid aggression on the other. The cutting of cables at the bottom of the Baltic Sea, a “junk fleet” that not only destroys the environment but also threatens security, the jamming of GPS signals and the use of drones – all of this is happening in the Baltic Sea region. “As an ally, we have responded to this by setting up Operation Baltic Sentry, which protects our area of action and activity, our exclusive economic zone and trade and transport routes,” said Kosiniak-Kamysz.
More ships under construction
There are currently five ships in production, which will be handed over to the navy in the next two years once they have been equipped and tested. This means that Remontowa Shipbuilding will equip the navy with a total of 14 units of three different classes – combat, auxiliary and reconnaissance vessels – from 2017, when the first “Kormoran” is handed over, until the last of the reconnaissance vessels currently on order is delivered in 2027.
The “Czajka” is the sixth ship of the Kormoran II type to be built in Gdańsk by a consortium. This consists of the consortium leader Remontowa Shipbuilding, the research and development center Centrum Techniki Morskiej and the naval shipyard PGZ Stocznia Wojenna.
In addition to the “Czajka” (606), Remontowa Shipbuilding is currently building two more minesweepers in the series: the ORP “Rybitwa” (604), which was launched in March, and the ORP “Jaskółka” (605), which was launched in June. According to the plans, ships 604 to 606 are due to enter service between 2026 and 2027.
