Navy Insights
ioned trawl wire cutters, a threat to all potential illegal fishing within our areas of operations." Poland has territorial waters and an EEZ within the Baltic, but Capt. (N) Krzysztof Jaworski, commanding the Polish Navy's Fast Patrol Boat Squadron, acknowledges that Poland, as a member of NATO, has maritime obligations beyond its own waters. In peacetime, the PN's fast attack craft (FAC) supports the Polish Border Guard in protecting territorial waters and the EEZ. In times of crisis, these vessels can protect sea lines of communication and monitor and protect the approaches to Poland from the sea. In wartime, these same ships destroy enemy forces and maintain sea control. Its current inventory of Orkan and Tarantul-class missile patrol boats will soon be joined by the new construction Gawron-class. "Our FACs must be able to operate in brown water and blue water," Jaworski said. The PN's new Gawron corvette will be a 2,000-ton, 95-meter craft capable of 30 knots, and armed with the RBS 15 missile system and a 76mm gun. Gawron will have a crew of 95. Many factors affect propulsion selection, according to David Bricknell of Rolls Royce. Vessels used for police or customs duties but not required for military tasks may be smaller, with less endurance, unarmed, and may not require a flight deck. This has an impact on hull design and propulsion options. Such patrol boats might have twin engines and twin screws, and possibly a loiter drive. Research and hydrographic vessels may be somewhat larger, and may require quieter operation. These craft may have electric drive propulsion systems. Ships required for coastal protection, such as salvage or oil spill response, require high-bollard-pull towing capability, fire fighting equipment and pollution control material. Propulsion options for these ships favor mechanical or hybrid electric solutions. OPVs operated by navies tend to be larger, carry an aircraft, and require higher speed for pursuit. Even if they are lightly armed, they often appear "warlike." For an ice-capable small OPV, Bricknell suggests an all-electric azimuth thruster system. For a larger green-water OPV, he would consider twin diesels or a Combined Diesel and Diesel (CODAD) arrangement for both cruising and high speed. A large, fast OPV combatant needs waterjets to achieve high speeds. "Higher speed delivers increased persistence of naval presence." In general, Bricknell said, "speed is intuitively good." Cmdr. Chris Hoey of the Royal New Zealand Navy said his relatively small country has one of the largest EEZs in
Barbados Coast Guard patrol boat Rudyard Lewis carries a stern launch RHIB interceptor. (Photos by Edward Lundquist)
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