Through an official statement published yesterday, the Swedish company Saab announced that the launch of the signals intelligence (SIGINT) vessel ORP Henryk Zygalski has taken place. This ship represents the last unit of the series ordered by the Polish Navy to strengthen its capabilities under the “Delfin” program. In this way, the vessel follows the path of the ship named ORP Jerzy Różycki, which was launched by the company on July 1, 2025, and is currently awaiting incorporation into the aforementioned service after being fitted with the latest required reconnaissance sensors and undergoing sea trials.
Quoting some official statements issued following this new milestone for the program, Mats Wicksell, current head of Saab’s Kockums business area, stated: “We are pleased to see the successful launch today of the second Polish SIGINT vessel. With this important project, we strengthen cooperation between Swedish and Polish industries in support of European security in the Baltic Sea region.” He specifically highlighted that the electronic intelligence systems forming part of the ship’s capabilities will facilitate the acquisition of data on assets deployed in the region, where Russia maintains a significant naval presence.
In this regard, and reviewing some of the known characteristics of the new Polish SIGINT vessels, it can be noted that they are based on the design line represented by the Swedish Navy’s HMS Artemis, also built by Saab. These are ships with a length of 74 meters and a beam of 14 meters, dimensions that accommodate an approximate displacement of 2,200 tons, as well as a total of 35 cabins for the crew. On the other hand, while the specific system installed for SIGINT tasks is not publicly known, analysts point to the possibility that it could be the Sirius system offered by the Swedish company, which is notable for combining COMINT and ELINT sensors in a single package.
In addition, it is important to highlight that the construction of the vessels has been carried out by Saab as the main contractor, but has also involved Remontowa Shipbuilding SA as a subcontractor for the actual construction work, and the Polish company MMC for the design. Saab itself is responsible for providing the sensors and integrating all these components. This is not a minor detail, as it is a project that has enabled the participation of local industry to enhance its capabilities, in line with other equipment programs pursued by Warsaw.
Finally, it is important to recall that the vessels were formally acquired in November 2022, following an investment of around 620 million euros by the Polish government, with delivery dates set for 2027 after construction began in 2023. The intention behind this acquisition is to replace two of the now outdated Moma-class reconnaissance vessels, which were originally ordered in the mid-1970s.
*Image credits: @MarWojRP on X
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