Poland Launches First SIGINT Reconnaissance Ship ORP Jerzy Różycki under Delfin Program

The Polish Navy launched ORP Jerzy Różycki, the first of two electronic reconnaissance ships being built under Poland’s Delfin program, on July 1.

The ceremony was held at Remontowa Shipbuilding SA in Gdańsk, with Deputy Minister of National Defense Paweł Bejda in attendance.

The ORP Jerzy Różycki is one of two vessels ordered by the Polish Ministry of National Defense as part of a 2022 contract with Sweden’s Saab AB, aimed at enhancing Poland’s ability to gather electronic intelligence (SIGINT) from the sea. These ships are designed to collect reconnaissance data across the full spectrum of maritime electronic surveillance. The detailed technical configuration remains classified.

The second vessel under the Delfin program will be named ORP Henryk Zygalski, after another member of the famed team of Polish cryptologists who helped break the Enigma cipher prior to World War II. The naming of both ships honors Poland’s legacy in intelligence and cryptography.

While the ships are being constructed at the Remontowa Shipbuilding SA facility in Gdańsk, Swedish partners will supply the specialized SIGINT systems, with participation from multiple Polish defense firms. This ensures a notable share of the contract supports domestic industry.

Once commissioned, the ORP Jerzy Różycki and ORP Henryk Zygalski are expected to play an integral role in the Polish Navy’s efforts to monitor regional activity and contribute to NATO’s reconnaissance and security operations in the Baltic Sea.