Poland Launches First High-Tech Spy Ship ORP Jerzy Różycki Under Delfin Program
Poland has taken a major leap forward in strengthening its maritime intelligence and surveillance capabilities with the launch of its first-ever signals intelligence (SIGINT) ship, the ORP Jerzy Różycki. Built by Swedish defense giant Saab under a landmark €620 million deal, the ship was launched from the Remontowa Shipbuilding yard in Gdańsk and marks a key milestone in Poland’s Delfin program aimed at replacing its decades-old radio reconnaissance vessels.
The ship is named after Jerzy Różycki, a famed Polish mathematician and cryptologist who played a crucial role in breaking Nazi Germany’s Enigma code during World War II. The vessel bearing his name will be used to gather crucial electronic intelligence (ELINT) and communications intelligence (COMINT) from across the maritime domain, including signals emitted by naval stations, surface ships, submarines, and other maritime platforms.
According to Saab and Polish defense officials, ORP Jerzy Różycki is designed to carry out sensitive operations like tracking radio and radar transmissions, analyzing electronic emissions, and supporting the interception of encrypted communications. In addition to these roles, the ship is also expected to conduct hydroacoustic reconnaissance, making it capable of detecting and analyzing underwater threats posed by both manned submarines and unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs).
The ship is part of a two-vessel program known as Project Delfin, which replaces the aging Project 863 Moma-class reconnaissance ships commissioned in the 1970s. The contract for this new capability was signed in November 2022, with deliveries of both vessels expected to be completed by 2027. Construction of the first vessel began in April 2023, while the second ship’s keel was laid in November 2023.
The ORP Jerzy Różycki shares design elements with Sweden’s own SIGINT vessel, the HMS Artemis, a modern electronic surveillance ship developed by Saab. Like the Artemis, the Polish ship is expected to be 74 meters long and 14 meters wide, with a displacement close to 2,200 tons. Onboard, it will have 35 cabins with 40 bunks, providing accommodation for up to 40 crew members.
One of the standout features of the ship is its long operational autonomy, allowing it to remain at sea for extended missions without needing to return to port. This capability is essential for sustained intelligence gathering and surveillance, particularly in the strategically sensitive Baltic Sea region, where NATO’s eastern flank faces growing geopolitical tensions.
Micael Johansson, President and CEO of Saab, described the launch as a “significant milestone” and an example of what can be achieved when countries with shared strategic concerns work together. “This project exemplifies how nations around the Baltic Sea, with similar needs and experiences, can come together to develop solutions that benefit us all,” Johansson said. He emphasized the ship’s advanced technological capabilities as crucial for Europe’s ability to respond to evolving threats.
With this launch, Poland strengthens not only its own naval intelligence capabilities but also reinforces NATO’s surveillance network in a region increasingly characterized by strategic competition and information warfare. The ORP Jerzy Różycki stands as a symbol of both national technological ambition and multinational defense cooperation.
