BAE Grabs Gun Contract For Colombian PES Frigate

BAE Systems will equip the Colombian Navy’s PES frigate with a Bofors 40 Mk4 naval gun system after striking a deal with Dutch shipbuilding group Damen Naval.

The Plataforma Estratégica de Superficie (PES), the first frigate to be built in Colombia, is under construction at the COTECMAR shipyard in Cartagena. The vessel is based on the design of Damen Naval’s SIGMA Multi-Mission Frigate 10514.

As per a recent BAE press statement, the firm has received a contract from the Dutch shipbuilder to install the weapon to provide protection against anti-aircraft and surface threats.

More than 70 Bofors 40 Mk4 naval gun systems have been sold to eight countries since 2015; including to near neighbour Brazil, whose navy also selected it as their standard primary gun for its small and medium-sized vessels.

The Bofors 40 Mk4 can switch rapidly between different ammunition types to match a variety of air, land, and sea-based threats. Six different modes using programmable 40mm Bofors 3P ammunition offer maximal combat flexibility.

Marketing and Sales Director at BAE Systems Bofors Stefan Löfström commented: “We continue to be a trusted partner in Latin America, providing world-leading capabilities in the region to support future growth.

“We are delivering cutting-edge solutions that include advanced firepower and the lightning-quick response that the Colombian Navy requires.”

Damen Naval Project Director Jasper Oreel added: “As this is the first [direct] procurement contract between BAE Systems Bofors and Damen Naval, we are looking forward to further establishing our business relationship and the PES project execution.”

As per the BAE Systems statement, it expects to complete delivery of the weapon system by the end of 2029;  the ship is due to be delivered to the Colombian Navy the following year.

Variants of the SIGMA Multi-Mission Frigate are already in use in Indonesia and Mexico; the 105-metre vessels have a maximum speed of more than 27 knots, a 5,000-nautical-mile range, and are equipped for both surface and anti-submarine warfare missions.

• You can read more details about the new contract on the BAE Systems website