20 ships on the Gulf of Gdansk. Thus Gdynia celebrated the Polish Army Day

Gdynia was today the second, next to Warsaw, the main place of celebration of the Polish Army. Instead of tanks and transporters in Wisłostrad, warships in the Gulf of Gdańsk, marine aviation and crowds observed the parade from Southern Mola.

This year's festival, however, had a special dimension for the Polish Navy – showed a fleet that is still based on well-known ships, but at the same time stands at the threshold of the largest exchange of its forces in many years.

On 15 August in the Gulf of Gdańsk, in the formation of more than 20 ships and units of the Polish Navy and allied forces. The parade was led by the ORP rocket frigate General T. Kościuszko, for which, among others, an ORP corvette Cashew and the ORP command ship Rear Admiral Xavery Czernicki. Further you could see among others the ORP Lublin, Sand, Lech, Cormoran, Arctowski and Hevilius. Swedish HSwMS also participated in the parade Skaftö and Lithuanian LNS Skalvis.

Aviation also appeared above the ships, and earlier from the ORP deck Lightning 21 guns were delivered. Polish Navy It also opened some of its ships for visitors, and Kościuszko and Southern Molo Square became the center of the sea part of the celebration of the Polish Army.

The parade showed the Navy as it is today

The ship parade always has something spectacular in it. The warships flow in equal order, the flags float on masts, and thousands of people watch them from the shore. However, it is also worth looking at today's passage differently.

It was in a sense a common picture of almost all the most important tasks performed by the Navy today. On the water there were ships designed to combat submarines and submarines, mine defense, reconnaissance, hydrography, rescue and safeguard the activities of other forces.

There was an ORP at the head of the line. General T. Kościuszko. After him, ORP Cashew and Rear Admiral Xavery Czernicki. Further destroyers of mines, rescue ships, hydrographics and auxiliary units.

This is the fleet Poland has today.

But this year's parade took place at a particular moment. Just two days earlier, also in the Gulf of Gdańsk, for the first time, the future ORP rose on the water. Wind.

Two days earlier, the wind came down on the water.

It is difficult to have a more meaningful picture of changes currently taking place in our Navy.

On 12 August at the PGZ of the War Shipyard the baptism of the first frigate of the program Miecznik took place, and a day later the unit was brought to the Gulf of Gdańsk on a semi-sunurnal barge. After its controlled immersion Wicher got The buoyancy and was then towed back to the yard, where the next stage of equipment work begins.

Today, a frigate belonging to the current generation of Polish ships led in the parade, while a few kilometres further, at the PGZ War Shipyard, there is already a hull of the ship to replace it.

Program MIecznik includes three frigates: Wicher, Burza and Hurricane. The first is to enter service in 2029, and the entire program is scheduled to end at the beginning of the next decade.

This does not mean that the problems of the Polish fleet will disappear with the emergence of three new frigates. However, the swordsman gives the Navy something that has been missing for many years – the prospect of exchanging the largest submarines for vessels built from the beginning with a view to modern requirements and activities in the Baltic and beyond.

Today's parade also showed where it is today Polish Navy. Older ships continue to carry out their tasks and are still needed, but their successors no longer exist only on paper. The wind is already at the Gdynia wharf, Storm is under construction, and work on Hurricane began in April.

Underwater also begins to change

This is even more evident in submarines.

On 29 June, Poland and Sweden signed an agreement in Gdynia to purchase three A26 submarines under the Orka program. The contract is to be accompanied by industrial cooperation, participation of Polish shipyards and Saaba investments in Poland.

This is not accidental in the context of today's parade.

Along with Polish ships, Swedish HSwMS sailed through the Gulf of Gdańsk Skaftö. Only a few years ago, Sweden remained outside NATO. Today, he is an ally of Poland, one of the most important countries in the Baltic Sea region and a partner from whom we will acquire ships to rebuild Polish capabilities under water.

The presence of Swedish and Lithuanian ships was therefore not just a courtesy addition to the parade. It shows how much the Polish environment in the Baltic has changed. The sea, which has still recently divided NATO states and states outside the Alliance, is surrounded almost exclusively by its members, except the Russian coast.

This gives completely different possibilities of cooperation, but does not relieve Poland of the obligation to have its own fleet.

Warships are needed not only for the parade

And here, today's holiday goes beyond the flag and ship figure show itself.

Polish ports they are responsible for a significant part of foreign trade, offshore wind power is created in the Baltic, the construction of a nuclear power plant in Pomerania begins, and pipelines, power cables and telecommunications are carried out after the seabed. At the same time, activities of the Russian shadow fleet, the activity of warships and damage to offshore infrastructure are observed in the region.

Therefore, modern Polish Navy Poland is not needed solely to defend the coast.

It must carry out reconnaissance, protect approaches to ports, combat mine hazards, cover maritime transport, participate in the protection of critical infrastructure and interact with NATO ships. In the event of a crisis, it must also be able to carry out combat activities at sea, underwater and in the air.

That is why not only the number of ships visible during the parade, but also their capabilities, is important.

Four pillars of safety also from the sea side

Prior to the beginning of the parade, Prime Minister Donald Tusk spoke in Gdynia about four pillars of state security: tight borders, real alliances, investments in the army and a strong economy. In relation to the army, he has already spoken directly about investments in the army and the Navy.

Looking from the shore to the ships today, these words can be considered a good complement to the image.

The alliances represented the flags of Sweden and Lithuania. Investments in the military were symbolized by Wicher, whose hull was on the water two days earlier, and Orka submarine program the implementation of which has only just begun. The economy is, on the other hand, Polish shipyards, ports and companies working on new ships and marine critical infrastructure, whose safety depends to a large extent on the situation at sea.

In the case of the Baltic, these elements are indeed difficult to separate from each other.

A strong economy needs safe ports and shipping. The modern fleet needs money and able industry build it and keep it. Alliances increase security, but are most credible when each country brings its own abilities to them.

In a few years, this parade should look different.

Today's parade of ships was primarily a celebration of the Polish Army and people who serve on ships, in coastal units and maritime aviation. It was also an opportunity for residents to see the Navy at close range, not only in pictures or during exercises conducted far from shore.

But it was also a photograph of the Polish fleet taken at a very specific moment in its history.

There were ships in the foreground we've known for years. A few miles away is the first Swordfish. The next two rise. Three A26 submarines signed. Antimine, reconnaissance and rescue forces are developed.

Therefore, the most interesting question after today’s parade is not even how many ships passed before the Gdynia pier.

Much more interesting is how the same parade will look in five or six years.

If the current programmes are implemented as planned, it will no longer have to be headed by a frigate that remembers the earlier era. Polish Navy. Its place will be taken by Wicher, followed by Storm and Hurricane. Underwater, there should be new ships built under the Ork program.

And then it will be possible to assess whether what we watched today on the Gulf of Gdańsk was just an impressive holiday, or the beginning of the actual modernization of the Polish fleet.