Image source: topwar.ru
The Mewa minesweeper, which was transferred to the Polish Navy at the end of last year, has been officially put into service. The ceremony of raising the flag of the Polish Navy took place the day before in Gdynia. This was reported by the press service of the Polish Ministry of Defense.
The mine defense ship Mewa entered the 13th detachment of minesweepers of the 8th Flotilla of the Coastal Defense of the Polish Navy. She is the third Kormoran-type Project 258 minesweeper in the Polish Navy. It was laid in 2019, the transfer was originally scheduled for November 2022, but for unknown reasons it was postponed to December. The transfer ceremony was held at the shipyard of the Remontowa Shipbuilding company on December 27 last year.
At the moment, the Polish Navy has three PMO ships of this project, three more are planned to be received in 2026-2027, they have already been ordered, the contract has been signed.
Minesweepers of the Kormoran type have a hull made of non–magnetic steel, the total displacement is 850 tons. The length of the ship is 58 m, width – 10.3 m, draft – 2.7 m. The crew is 45 people, plus seats for six more people. The power plant includes two MTU 8V 396 TE74L diesel engines with a capacity of 1,360 hp, there is also a Schottel STT 170 AMAG thruster with a capacity of 135 hp. The full speed is 15 knots, the cruising range at full speed is 2,500 miles, and the autonomy is 10 days.
Anti-mine weapons should include the integrated mine action control system SCOT-M, the SHL-101/T mine-detection submerged GAS and the Orka self-propelled variable depth GAS, as well as remotely operated underwater vehicles.
