Colombian PES Frigate To Get Saab Combat Management System

Swedish defence firm Saab will install its systems on a SIGMA frigate for the first time after signing a contract with with the Dutch shipbuilder Damen Naval to provide the Colombian Navy’s new PES frigate with its combat management system (CMS).

Under the terms of the deal Saab will fit the Plataforma Estratégica de Superficie frigate with a range of its systems including Sea Giraffe 4A radars, its 9LV Combat Management and Fire Control systems, its Ceros 200 radar and its optronic tracking and EOS 500 electro-optical fire-control directors.

The Dutch shipbuilding group had previously agreed a deal with the Colombian Ministry of Defence to build the (PES) frigate for the Colombian Navy at the COTECMAR shipyard in Cartagena in 2022; the ship is due to be delivered in 2030.

The PES vessel, the first to be built in Colombia, will be based on the design of Damen Naval’s SIGMA Multi-Mission Frigate 10514; variants of this ship are already in use in Indonesia and Mexico.

The 105-metre vessels have a maximum speed for more than 27 knots, a 5,000-nautical-mile range, and are equipped for both surface and anti-submarine warfare missions.

Saab’s Senior Vice President and Head of Surveillance business sector Carl-Johan Bergholm commented: “The PES programme is state-of-the-art and we are honoured that the Colombian Navy has selected Saab to supply their combat system.

“Our partnership with Damen Naval marks an important collaboration in the naval domain. This is our first time working together.” 

And Damen Naval Managing Director Roland Briene added: “This collaboration with Saab is a prime example of how north European cooperation can drive naval innovation and meet the evolving needs of international clients.”

• You can read more details on the Damen website and the Saab website