Colombia - Navy Modernization
To patrol its rivers and exercise their maritime sovereignty for decades Colombia had to rely on used ships built in other countries, which often came from the Second World War. To prolong the life of the ships had to be subjected to costly time to time re-powering and updates its systems of fighting. And to make matters worse, hardly they suited to the mission to cover part of the 20,000 kilometers of rivers.
That scenario began to change in 2000 when the Ministry of Defense and the Navy decided to create Cotecmar -Corporación of Science and Technology for Development of the Naval, Maritime and Fluvial Industry. "Since its inception the goal is that all vessels that Colombia needs to ensure its security and sovereignty are built completely in Colombia.
The Navy's Capabilities and Resources (Capacidades y Medios), has a planning process in the company of the Ministry of Defence, termed Transformation and Future (Transformación y Futuro). It aims at optimizing resources by giving priority to the joint application of force for the defence and security of national sovereignty. This process coincides with the transformation that is being independently carried out by the Naval Institution, which is specified in the 2030 Force Planning Document of the Development Plan of the National Navy.
This up-to-date plan has anticipated two subsequent scenarios without a fixed schedule: in the first one the efforts of the police force focuses on beating drug trafficking organizations to subsequently reach peace consolidation after carrying out peace talks; in the second scenario, the Institution’s strategic capabilities become technologically obsolete, making its upgrade mandatory in order to adjust to new threats and to the political strategic setting of the moment.
To this end, the development of three macroplans started: the first contemplates phases I and II of the Orion Plan, whose end is to complement the strategic capabilities of naval assests and expand their useful life; the second, the Bridge Plan, has the purpose of maintaining the capabilities that were expanded by the preceding plan and finish complementing those capabilities that may not have been reached because of budget resources; finally, the Lighthouse Plan has the aim of upgrading capabilities to adjust them to future threats and recovering those that could become technologically obsolete, and projecting the Force in the international arena.
The evolution of strategic capabilities of the Navy, have been developed through Orion, bridge and Lighthouse plans, the first two enabling the modernization and then sustaining the force until the year 2019 with the addition of two OPV-80, three CPV-46 and two BDA; and the latter, Lighthouse, the project that will renew the strategic capabilities through the design and construction of the future strategic platforms of surface (PES), as well as the submarine fleet renewal and strengthening of the amphibious capabilities and that of the Coast Guard.
These intentions are the result of the force planning to 2030 (PF2030), which is a roadmap that has been established precisely and sequential steps, time and resources needed to realize the projections of the ARC, which seeks to establish an effective force defensive oceanic (FDO), because it is evident that this institution has understood that it is essential to have a force with dissuasive minimum capabilities , that allows you to project a power of convincing fire and prevent this potential and actual, positive interest on Colombian marine and insular territories by other countries, questioning possibility enhanced by the latest and recent transnational legal failures that have cast doubt on the maritime boundaries of Colombia in the Caribbean Therefore the geopolitical position of this nation in that area.
The Colombian Navy is a modern, disciplined, and well-trained military service performing the constitutional mission to defend the integrity of the Colombian maritime territory and enforce government policies concerning the use of the sea. Today the strategic fleet fulfilling these duties bears normal aging problems threatening the execution of the Colombian Navy's mission in the near future. The country's fiscal situation is tight and no funds are budgeted to support a contract acquiring new ships. The Colombian Navy will need to replace its strategic surface ships in order to upgrade its tactical capabilities to new technology. The most viable option is the acquisition of second-hand ships available on the international market.
By the mid-1970s the Colombian Ministry of Defense had placed a high priority on getting fast, ocean-going patrol vessels for the navy, to be used against highly organized contraband and drug smuggling activities concentrated off the Caribbean coast. Expanded-range patrol craft would improve the Colombian coastal patrol and defense posture, bridging thecurrent gap between the larger ships and the relatively small river patrol boats. In early 1976 Colombian naval officers undertook a trip to France, West Germany, Israel, and the US, with a purchase decision expected within two to three months. The Soviets reportedly offered Colombia up to 12 vessels and favorable credit terms, with delivery in six months to a year. The offer might be accepted even though defense planning supposedly called for buying US military equipment. Colombia had highly favorable coffee credits with the Soviet Union and bloc countries, and from a foreign exchanqe viewpoint, the proposal appeared "almost too good to refuse." But in the end, nothing came of the Soviet offer.
The major vessels of the Colombian fleet in 1988 included four submarines, four frigates, four large patrol ships, two fast attack craft, three river gunboats, two coastal patrol vessels, and eight river patrol craft. The navy also had four survey/research vessels (one a former Honduran ship that was confiscated for smuggling), five transports, one floating dock, a sail training ship, and ten tugs. Two destroyers that had long been part of the fleet were decommissioned in 1986.
Observers regarded the navy as capable of patrolling and defending Colombia's offshore waters in the Pacific and the Caribbean but unable to project its seapower on a subregional basis. During the 1980s, the incorporation into the fleet of a number of ships purchased from West Germany -- a decision spurred by renewed concern over conflicting maritime territorial claims with Venezuela and Nicaragua -- appeared to have somewhat strengthened this capability.
The submarines included two West German-built Type 1200 diesel-electric patrol submarines [purchased in 1975] equipped with torpedo tubes and two Italian-built Type SX-506 midget submarines [purchased in 1974], each capable of carrying up to eight attack swimmers and two tons of explosives. Colombian Armada submarine A.R.C. Tayrona completed joint training with several U.S. Navy ships in early November 2006, during a brief deployment under the Diesel Electric Submarine Initiative (DESI) off the coast of Mayport. The DESI program, established in 2001, has engaged several diesel South American navies with submarines to provide a series of programmed stateside deployments. The goal is to support fleet training exercises and tactical development events.
During the period 2007-2008 was brought forward a process of study of the international market for the repowering of oceanic submarines, with requests for offers to companies of Germany, Korea, France, Chile and United States, resulting in selected company HDW MDFI Germany, original Builder shipyard of the submarines of the Navy, who signed the respective contract, pursuant to article 79 of the Decree and article 2 of law 1150/07 2474/08.
In 1988 the four Type FS 1500 frigates were among the newest vessels of the Colombian fleet. The four frigates — Almirante Padilla, Antioquia, Independiente, and Caldas — are each equipped with one Bo–105 utility helicopter, two B515 ILAS–3 triple 324mm antisubmarine torpedo launchers, each with an A244 light-weight torpedo, two quad—eight, in effect, each with one MM–40 Exocet tactical surface-to-surface missile—and one 76mm gun. The vessels also were equipped with radar, sonar, and electronic countermeasures. The navy's BO-105 helicopters were used on the frigates.
The Almirante Padilla class frigates play a special role in the Colombian Navy. They patrol Caribbean and Pacific waters in order to safeguard nationalresources and to counter piracy, smuggling and terrorism. Built by the Howaldtswerke-DeutscheWerft GmbH (HDW) in Kiel, the Colombian Navy vessels were launched between October 1983 and July 1984. The four 20-cylinder MTU main propulsion units on each ship underwent major overhaul in the mid-1990s. At the end of 2008, the Colombian Navy decided to repower its Almirante Padilla fleet with new MTU engines — a prudent,long-term decision for a number of reasons. Especially with well-maintained ships in this class, it made solid sense to fit the propulsion systems with state-of-the-art engines. In contrast to a repeat overhaul, which could take up to a year, the re-power option means that vessels can be back on duty after just a short time. The repowering exercise also increases the time between major overhauls from 9,000 hours with the previous engines to 24,000 hours with the new units. That means the engines will only be due for a complete overhaul in around 20 years’ time when the vessels are at the end of their lives. Thanks to their compact design, the new engines fit perfectly into the engine room. The work was carried outat the COTECMAR Colombian Naval Dockyard. The Colombian Navy wanted to get the most out of the existing facilities.
Four large patrol ships operating in the 1980s were former United States Cherokee class vessels, commissioned in 1943 and sold to Colombia in 1979. During the mid-1980s, the navy reportedly planned to replace these vessels with four Exocet-armed corvettes. Two fast attack craft, former United States Asheville-class craft, were commissioned in 1969 and transferred by lease to Colombia in 1983. The fleet's three Arauca-class river gunboats were Colombian built, as were the coastal and river patrol craft. Most of these vessels, however, were commissioned in the 1950s. By contrast, two of the survey/research ships were new vessels acquired in the early 1980s. One vessel was employed in fishery research and the other in geophysical research. The survey/research ships were under the authority of the navy's Maritime Division (División Maritima -- Dimar). The Dimar was the principal naval authority in charge of hydrography, pilotage, navigational aids, and port authorities.
Due to the increasing age of the deepwater fleet after 30 years of service, and due to mounting, costly maintenance requirements, the WMEC-628 Durable, a B-Type Reliance Class 210-Foot Cutter cutter, was scheduled for decommissioning. The US Coast Guard decommissioned the venerable cutter on 20 September 2001. In 2003 she was transferred to the government of Colombia. The 210-foot cutters were added to the US Coast Guard as part of an effort to upgrade the aging fleet of World War II-era cutters. The Coast Guard's Naval Engineering Division designed these cutters for search and rescue and law enforcement patrols of a "medium endurance"--i.e. they could conduct patrols of up to three weeks without requiring replenishment.
Espartana (PO-41) Class cormoran was launched in the shipyards of Ferrol National Company Bazan, now Navantia, in October 1985 on their own, without there being ship sales contract with any country. The vessel was subsequently accepted by the Spanish Armada in 1989. Since 1995 it was acquired by the Navy of Colombia. ARC PO-44 Valle del Cauca (Class Reliance) was built in Todd Shipyards in Houston, ARC PO-44 unit was ceded armed of Colombia in 2003, assigned to the Colombian Pacific Displacement: 759 ton, Armament: 1 x Mk 38 25mm, 2 x M2HB .50, speed: 18 knots, ARC San Andres PO-45 (class Cactus): built at the shipyard Zenith Dredge, Minnesota, was discharged from the USCG in 2006 and joined the Navy Colombia in 2007.
WLB / WAGL / WIX-290 Gentian, was a 180-A Class cutter in the US Coast Guard. Built during World War II, these vessels measured 180 feet overall and had a beam of 37 feet at the extreme, with a displacement of 935 tons and a draft of 12 feet. During Gentian's service as the Caribbean Support Tender, she made a total of 155 visits to 23 countries, bringing donated supplies and parts totaling $3.9 million. The Gentian also trained more than 5,500 people and refurbished and donated to U.S. allies 26 confiscated go-fast boats. She was formally decommissioned on 23 June 2006 at Causeway Island, Miami Beach and was mothballed at the Coast Guard Yard. Gentian was transferred to the Colombian Navy on 15 October 2007.
On 09 May 2011, Fassmer formally handed over the 40m Coast Patrol Vessel (CPV40) „ARC 11 de Noviembre“ to the Colombian Navy. The 40m Coastal Patrol Vessel contracted in late December 2009 has already satisfactorily completed Sea Trials in the North Sea on 22 April. In such trials the vessel exceeded contractual performances in speed, noise reduction and range; among other parameters. After two weeks of training and exercising in the shipyard and at Sea in the German Bight, the vessel was handed over to the Navy. The CPV-40 unit, arrived at Cartagena de Indias in the last week of June, reinforcing the operations of maritime interdiction in the Colombian Caribbean. This unit has a Typhonn MK 38 Mod 2 of 25 mm cannon, its length is 40 meters, and a displacement of 245 tons.
After the incorporation of the „ARC 11 de Noviembre“, ARC CT Jorge Enrique Márquez Duran of the PO-43 class Lazaga was deactivated. Her twin, the ARC CT Pablo José del Porto, had been deactivated on 15 August 2006, leaving pending the deactivation of the ARC Espartana of the Cormorant class by the end of 2011. Thus, by the end of 2011 the Colombia Navy had two units of the class Toledo, the ARC José María García and WP-113 Toledo, Juan Nepomuceno Eslava WP-114, two units Swiftship 110 ARC José María Pallas and ARC Medardo monsoon Coronado, two Swiftship 105 ARC Rafael del Castillo and Rada PM-102 and ARC TECIM Jaime Cárdenas Gómez PM-115 units. The ARC Jaime Gómez Castro PM-105 and the ARC Juan Pena Siabato PM-106 are also active. Of the units of the Ashville class, ARC Quitasueño WP-112 has been converted into a training ship and ARC Albuquerque WP-111 was deactivated on 11 September 1996.
The tall ship Gloria is the official flagship and sail-training ship of the Colombian Navy, and her home port is Cartagena. Built in 1968 as a sail-training ship in the Celeya shipyard in Spain, the Gloria is over 56 meters (257ft) long - one of the biggest tall ships still afloat.
According to the Colombian naval chief, as of 2011 medium- and long- term objective of the Colombian navy was to design and build replacements for the existing class of frigates of the type Almirante Padilla when they reach the end of their lifecycle. This task will be accomplished by the Science and Technology Corporation for Naval, Maritime, and Riverine Industries (COTECMAR). The new combatant ships will be designed to meet the requirements that allow the Colombian navy to maintain military capabilities that guarantee national security and defense. Probable specifications include a displacement of 2,500-3,100 tons, endurance speed of 18 Knots, sustained speed of 30 Knots, and an endurance of 30 Days. The Colombian navy ship must be a multi-mission (or multitask) combatant with operational capabilities for surface, submarine, electronic, and air warfare.
CT ARC Pablo José del Porto was deactivated on August 15, 2006, pending the deactivation of the Spartan ARC of the Cormorant class at the end of 2011. After the incorporation of the ARC on November 11, as of mid-2011 the Navy of Colombia had two class units Toledo, the ARC José María García and Toledo PM-113, Juan Nepomuceno Eslava PM-114 two Swiftship 110 units ARC José María ARC shovels and Medardo Monzon Coronado two Swiftship ARC 105 units Rafael del Castillo and Rada PM-102 and ARC TECIM Jaime Cardenas Gomez PM-115, and there are also active ARC Jaime Gómez Castro PM-105 and ARC Juan Pena Siabato PM-106.
Of the Ashville class units, ARC Quitasueño PM-112 has been converted into training ship and ARC Albuquerque PM-111 was deactivated on 11 September 1996. The CPV-40 unit, acquired the Fassmer, should arrive in Cartagena de Indias in the last week of June, reinforcing maritime interdiction operations in the Colombian Caribbean. This unit has a cannon Typhonn MK 38 Mod 2 25mm, its length is 40 meters, 7.56 meters wide and a displacement of 245 tons. Its range is 2,000 nautical miles and 15 days of sailing. Another feature of the boat is a drop-down ramp at the stern allowing quickly dispose of a boat, in support of operations against drug trafficking. For its part, the engine room has operated a system of control from the bridge, allowing greater control of equipment. For 2011 there was allocated an amount close to US $550,000 dollars for the design of a patrol by Costa Cotecmar.
On July 29, 2010 the Armed Forces of Colombia accepted delivery of the first CN235-300 Maritime Patrol (MPA, its acronym in English) acquired from Airbus Military. The aircraft is equipped with FITS mission system (Integrated, for its acronym in English Tactical System), consisting of two consoles on board. This system, developed by Airbus Military, is a set of processors and displays on board that manage and present crew data collected by the sensors installed in an effective and easy way. The new aircraft, which joins the fleet the Colombian Navy, also incorporates a search radar for locating and tracking of surface vessels, as well as a system for identifying them by transponder. The Air Force already operates four C295 for some time and three CN235.
There has been growing knowledge and experience in the Colombian shipyard in the construction of ships for military applications, as in the case of the riverine support vessel (“PAF”—the acronym in Spanish) and a new ocean patrol vessel (OPV) currently under construction; but the goal of designing and building a new combatant surface ship is a challenging project that will demand a careful process to achieve the highest effectiveness possible within constraints; especially in an environment where financial resources are always limited and combatant ships are increasingly expensive.
Colombia is moving full steam on its plans to acquire new costal surveillance and patrol vessels. The Navy is purchasing 14 of the Coastal Patrol Vessel-46 (CPV-46) from COTECMAR, a Science and Technology Corporation oriented towards the design, construction, maintenance and repair of naval ships and artefacts. The Colombian Navy’s official list of acquisitions and upgrades for 2015 included modernizing the country’s frigates and upgrading bases like ARC Bolivar and ARC Malaga.
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