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Pijao class (Type 209/1200) coastal submarines

One of the two Ocean Submarines owned by the ARC type U-209 / A-1200 The Submarines baptized as "ARC Pijao" (SO-28) and "ARC Tayrona" (SO-29) were built by Howaldtswerke-Deutsche-Werft AG (HDW) in Kiel between 1972 and 1974 and delivered to the Navy Republic of Colombia in 1975. From that date, the Colombian Submarines have been the subject of two modernization programs in Germany. The Type 209 / A-1200 have a length of 56.1 meters, a beam of 6.2 meters and a depth of 5.5 meters. The displace 1,200 tons and have a crew of 34 sailors, with diesel-electric propulsion.

The U-209 is based on the U-206, but has dimensions much larger and unlike that has the capacity to operate in the ocean and autonomy to move over long distances. Although generically called U-209 per share largely a common concept, there are actually several series of submarine U-209 which differ among themselves, some being easily identifiable externally.

The U-209 is a submarine that can be configured according to the requirements and needs of customers and hence it resulted that all series have differences. The various sets are divided as follows: 1000/1100, 1200, 1300, 1400 and 1500. The countries that operate the various classes of submarines Type 209 are: Armada Argentina, Brazil, Chile Navy, Army of the Republic of Colombia, Ecuador, Greece, Indonesia, Navy of Peru, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey and Navy of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.

Class Submarines Pijao Type 209/1200 of the Colombian Navy (ARC), underwent a process of modernization in COTECMAR; ARC Tayrona entered in mid-2009 and ARC Pijao a year later, with technical assistance from HDW. The modernization program of the two Colombian submarine U-209-1200 (ARC Pijao and ARC Tayrona) is part of the so - called Orion Plan, which also includes the modernization of the four missile frigates Class Almirante Padilla.

The Submarines renewed their sonars, periscopes, radar and ESM, weapons control systems and weapons sensors. The system of fire control was replaced by the Atlas Elektronik 90 ISUS, with new torpedoes, ASW / ASuW, SUT 264 which retains the propulsion system of the SUT 226 but with electronics and guidance systems DM-2A4 Seahakey. The upgrade includes modern sonars, as well as equipped with new machinery and primary batteries. The participation of several international companies as suppliers included Cassidian Optronics, for replacement of the optical systems of the U-209 Colombian submarine and the delivering a SERO 250 periscope search; Exide Technologies supplied the battery cooling system; HDW was in charge of the modernization of the propulsion system, among others.

The modernization programs are the largest in the history of the company COTECMAR never had renewed the four Corvettes and the two Submarines simultaneously. The first overhaul of Class Submarines type Pijao 209/1200, allow reincorporate the first unit in late 2012 or early 2013.

Various problems caused by leaks and constant failures in the cooling system battery, which has been joined by defects in the operation of sonar, apparently caused by improper installation of the same, works all made by the German shipyard Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft (HDW) and resulted in a delay of seven months in the final delivery of the submarines.

Multinational Exercise UNITAS 55 Phase Pacific Peru 2014, which takes place between 11 and 26 September 2014, on the shores of Peru with the participation of twelve armed the continent, including a delegation of the Navy of Colombia, made this time by the patrol ship USCGC Durable (PO-44), with an on- board type Bolkow BO-105 naval helicopter. The scheduled participation diesel electric submarine Type 209, ARC Tayrona, as part of the Colombian naval delegation did not happen. Due to mechanical problems - presumably in the propulsion system: engine, propeller - that emerged in the course of transit, specifically near the Panama Canal, the submarine had to return to Colombia, where it entered the installations of COTECMAR.