ORP Kontradmiral Xawery Czernicki
Encyclopedia
ORP Kontradmiral Xawery Czernicki is a multitask logistic support ship of the Polish Navy
Polish Navy
The Marynarka Wojenna Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej - MW RP Polish Navy, is the branch of Republic of Poland Armed Forces responsible for naval operations...
. The ship's design was based on a hull of the 130 class degaussing station planned by the Construction Bureau of the Refurbishing Shipyard in Gdańsk
Gdansk
Gdańsk is a Polish city on the Baltic coast, at the centre of the country's fourth-largest metropolitan area.The city lies on the southern edge of Gdańsk Bay , in a conurbation with the city of Gdynia, spa town of Sopot, and suburban communities, which together form a metropolitan area called the...
. The hull was ordered by the Russian Navy, but the contract was halted and it was decided to complete the ship for the Polish Navy. She was named after Xawery Czernicki
Xawery Czernicki
Rear Admiral Xawery Stanisław Czernicki was a Polish engineer, military commander and one of the highest ranking officers of the Polish Navy...
.
The ship was built at the Northern Shipyard in Gdańsk. She is so far the biggest ship ever built at the Polish shipyards for the Polish Navy. The only ship of her class, she was designed as a logistic support vessel, able to transport large quantities of troops and supplies for the NATO forces worldwide, as well as to cooperate with air transport and Polish vessels at distant seas. It may transport up to 140 troops with vehicles, food and equipment, she also enables conducting offensive landing operations by means of landing ships, helicopters and armoured personnel carrier
Armoured personnel carrier
An armoured personnel carrier is an armoured fighting vehicle designed to transport infantry to the battlefield.APCs are usually armed with only a machine gun although variants carry recoilless rifles, anti-tank guided missiles , or mortars...
s, as well as tasks of evacuation of troops and civilians from enemy territory. The ship is also equipped for transport of containers, fresh water, food and other supplies, as well as for repairing friendly vessels at open seas.
The ship took part in the Afghan and Iraq wars. During operation Enduring Freedom it joined the United States Fifth Fleet in the Indian Ocean. After change of crew it took part in the Iraq invasion. During the invasion the vessel patrolled the Euphrates
Euphrates
The Euphrates is the longest and one of the most historically important rivers of Western Asia. Together with the Tigris, it is one of the two defining rivers of Mesopotamia...
estuary and served as a floating base for commando operations.
After the conclusion of the invasion she returned to home port in Poland for refit and upgrades.