On July 1, 2025, at the Remontowa Shipbuilding SA shipyard in Gdańsk, a christening and launching ceremony was held for the first in a series of signals intelligence vessels – ORP Jerzy Różycki.
The vessel is being constructed as part of Project 107 “Delfin.” Its main operational task will be intelligence gathering and data acquisition for both the Polish Armed Forces and NATO allied forces.
In line with the tradition of honoring distinguished individuals, the ship has been named after Jerzy Różycki – a outstanding Polish mathematician and cryptologist who, alongside Marian Rejewski and Henryk Zygalski, played a pivotal role in the Allied breakthrough in deciphering the codes of the German Enigma machine.
The ceremony was attended by Paweł Bejda, Secretary of State at the Ministry of National Defense, Agnieszka Pomaska, Chairwoman of the Sejm’s Commission on the European Union, and Peter Sandwall, Secretary of State at the Swedish Ministry of Defence. Also present were regional representatives of national and local authorities, commanders of the Polish and Swedish armed forces, representatives of the shipbuilding industry, and international partners. The ship’s godmother was Ewa Zarychta, wife of Vice Admiral Stanisław Zarychta.
During the ceremony, a letter from the Minister of National Defense was read, emphasizing the strategic importance of the project: “Without situational awareness, effective planning and action are simply impossible. ORP Jerzy Różycki, together with ORP Henryk Zygalski, will be vessels of key importance not only for Poland but also for our allies.”
The vessel is being developed in close cooperation with the Swedish company Saab Kockums, which provided key technologies for the signals intelligence systems. The hull construction and shipyard work are being carried out by Remontowa Shipbuilding SA, a company with experience in fulfilling orders for the Polish Navy. The contract for the construction of two “Delfin”-class ships was signed in November 2022. Steel cutting for ORP Jerzy Różycki began in April 2023, and the keel-laying ceremony took place in July of the same year.
Although not a combat vessel, the ship will be equipped with advanced SIGINT systems capable of intercepting and analyzing electromagnetic signals, including radio and radar emissions. It will also feature components utilizing artificial intelligence. Due to its purpose, the ship is colloquially referred to as the “eyes and ears of the navy.”
Remontowa Shipbuilding will carry out the necessary Harbour Acceptance Tests (HAT) and Sea Acceptance Tests (SAT), after which Saab will install the specialized systems at the Remontowa Shipbuilding shipyard.
Following the completion of all outfitting and testing—scheduled for 2026–2027—ORP Jerzy Różycki will be commissioned into service with the 3rd Ship Flotilla of the Polish Navy in Gdynia. It will be the first vessel of its kind in the Polish Armed Forces, significantly enhancing Poland’s operational capabilities in intelligence and countering threats within the electromagnetic domain.
