WARSAW, Dec. 27 (Xinhua) -- The Polish defense ministry signed two contracts on Wednesday for a nearly 2-billion-zloty (570 million U.S. dollar) purchase of two state-of-the-art minesweepers and a rescue vessel.
During a press conference, Polish deputy defense minister Bartosz Kownack said that under the two contracts, the Polish navy would receive a Ratownik rescue vessel and two Kormoran II minesweepers.
The Kormoran minesweeper's main functions are seeking, identifying, and destroying mines and escorting other naval vessels through the areas of mine danger risk.
Polish News Agency (PAP) reported that the minesweepers were intended for combat missions in the Baltic Sea, the North Sea, and other waters within NATO allied territory.
The Polish navy is being rebuilt after many years of neglect, Kownack said, with a focus on reconstructing its shipbuilding industry.
