Last flag drop on ORP Vulture and ORP Bielik

In less than two decades, the white and red flags have travelled nearly 87 000 nautical miles in total, taking part in dozens of exercises and naval operations. On Tuesday, December 14, at the War Port in Gdynia, there was a celebration of the last leaving of the flag on submarines ORP Vulture and ORP Bielik, thus ending the Kobben project in the Navy of Poland.

Paraphrasing the words of Joseph Konrad Korzenowski, the ships are like people, have their births, their lives and go to eternal watch. Farewell to the ship that ends its service at sea is a respectful ritual. The ship is not just steel, sheet metal, cables and devices forming an integral whole created for a specific purpose. The ship can move, obey orders, have virtues, flaws, and as every man has his name. For a sailor, he's often a second home. For less than 20 years, OORP Vulture and Bielik served under the white-red flag in various tasks as part of national and allied activities.

The withdrawal from service of the last two Kobben submarines ended a chapter in the history of the Polish Navy... The celebration of the last abandon of the flag on submarines ORP Vulture and ORP Bielik was held with the participation of the Navy's Company and Orchestra of Honour. According to the flag ceremony and the proponents abandoned by ship commanders will be sent to the Naval Museum. The withdrawn unit will be transferred to the Military Property Agency. The ceremony was attended by the Naval Inspector Vice Admiral Jarosław Ziemański, Commander of the 3rd Fleet of Ships Rear Admiral Mirosław Jurkowlaniec, the crew of the Submarine Division, the godmother of ORP Bielik Mrs. Jolanta Banach and crew of ships and invited guests.

Submarine ships are one of the best measures to conduct combat and reconnaissance in the war area. Their very presence in the area of conducting operations forces the involvement of many more forces of the opponent. These units are hard to detect and have the ability to carry various types of weapons. They can be used effectively in peacekeeping operations (sea blockades, forced peace and control of navigation), in maritime communication routes protection operations and special forces operations.

Orp Vulture submarine It was built in the German shipyard Nordseewerke for the Royal Navy of Norway. In 1966 he entered service in the Norwegian Navy as HNoMS Skolpen. After his service in the Navy of Norway, he was handed over to Polish armed forces. For the first time, a white-red flag was raised on a submarine with a side number of 295 on August 16, 2002. The ceremonial naming and baptism of the ship took place at the War Port in Gdynia, and the godmother of the unit was Margaret Szmajdzińska, wife of the then Minister of National Defence.
During more than 19 years of service under the white and red flag he travelled over 30,000 nautical miles, performing 296 immersions and spending 320 days at sea (of which 149 in immersion). OPR Vulture participated in national and international exercises including Anakonda, Baltops, Crown Eagle, Smer/Medex, Bold Monarch, Dynamic Monarch, Danex, Passex, Dragon and Ostrogok.

OrP Whitek submarine was launched on 27 January 1967 at the German shipyard Nordseewerke. The vessel entered service in the Norwegian Navy in 1967 as HNoMS Svenner, and after being discharged in 2001, the ship was transferred to the Polish Navy. The raising of the white and red flag took place on 8 September 2003 at the Naval Base of Norway in Bergen, and the incarnation into service and naming on 24 October 2003 at the Military Port in Gdynia. The ship's godmother was Jolanta Banach, then Secretary of State in the Ministry of Economy, Labour and Social Policy.

During more than 18 years of service under the white-red flag of OPR Bielik three times (14.01 – 29.04.2004; 11.10.2006 – 30.03.2007; 28.10.2010 – 25.02.2011) participated in the Natovian anti-terrorism operation Active Endeavour in the Mediterranean Sea. During his service in the Navy The War of Poland travelled almost 57,000 nautical miles, performing 186 dives and spending 879 days at sea (of which 334 in immersion). OPR Bielik participated in the largest international maneuvers on the Baltic, p. Baltops, as well as in many national and international exercises, including Joint Maritime Course, Crown Eagle, Anakonda, Smer/Medex, Bold Monarch, Dynamic Monarch, Danex, Passex, Dragon and Horsebok.

Author: Press Section 3. FO