After two months of training at the Kashubian Division base, officers are ready to use the cutting-edge vessels, equipped with advanced navigation and radar systems that allow safe operations day and night.
“We can reach speeds of up to 45 knots (over 83 km/h), and the hovercraft is versatile enough for both icy winter conditions and open-water patrols in summer,” said Senior Warrant Officer Radosław Kościug, commander of the SG-414 unit. Designed for patrol, intervention, search-and-rescue missions, and operations in reed-covered or swampy areas, the hovercraft can also venture up to 20 nautical miles (over 37 km) offshore.
The Vistula Lagoon is a key maritime zone that borders the external frontier of the European Union. Just 15 nautical miles (about 27 km) separate this region from the Russian port of Baltiysk and 24 nautical miles (over 44 km) from Kaliningrad’s harbor. A roughly 10 km stretch of the Poland-Russia border cuts through these waters, alongside a closed zone (S-9) off-limits to most maritime activities.
While only one illegal border crossing was recorded on the lagoon in 2023—and none so far this year—the unit’s hovercraft frequently participate in rescue operations. In January, they saved four fishermen drifting on an ice floe.
With shallow waters, shifting weather, strong winds, and numerous navigational hazards—including stationary fishing nets—monitoring the lagoon is no small task. According to Tadeusz Gruchalla of the Maritime Border Guard’s press team, these challenging conditions demand a “unique mode of transportation.” Hovercraft prove especially valuable when the lagoon freezes, enabling patrols that would be impossible for conventional boats.
The two new hovercraft were ordered for a total of PLN 28 million (about €6 million) in October 2023 from British manufacturer Griffon Hoverwork Limited.
(jh)
Source: PAP