Almirante Padilla-class frigate

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The Almirante Padilla-class frigates is a series of frigates operated by the Colombian Navy. The designation of this class is Type FS 1500 and there are four ships in service. The ships were built by Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft (HDW) at Kiel, West Germany in the 1980s, with the first vessel commissioning in 1983 and the last in 1984. The frigates have undergone significant modification over their careers with the 2012 Orion Program Upgrade significantly modernising the vessels. Two similar ships operate as the Template:Sclasss in the Royal Malaysian Navy.

Design and description

Colombia ordered four frigates of the West German Type FS 1500 design in 1980 with the first ship intended to be delivered in 1982.Template:Sfn The Colombian Navy intended to upgrade these frigates as funding became available as they became the most powerful ships in their arsenal with the retirement of the older destroyers. Two vessels of a modified design serve with the Royal Malaysian Navy.Template:Sfn They initially had a standard displacement of Template:ConvertTemplate:Sfn that by 2009 had been reduced to Template:ConvertTemplate:Sfn and a fully loaded displacement of Template:ConvertTemplate:Sfn that climbed to Template:Convert by 2009.Template:Sfn The ships originally measured Template:Convert long overall and Template:Convert between perpendiculars with a beam of Template:Convert and a draught of Template:Convert.Template:Sfn This was later increased to Template:Convert long overall maintaining the same beam but increasing the draught to Template:Convert.Template:Sfn They initially had a complement of 92 which rose to 94 by 2009.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn The ships are equipped with fin stabilizers.Template:Sfn

Propulsion

The Almirante Padilla class is powered by a CODAD propulsion system. The frigates were powered by four MTU 20V 1163 TB92 diesel engines driving two shafts and developing maximum Template:Convert and Template:Cvt sustained turning two controllable pitch propellers.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn These were the first ships to mount these engines.Template:Sfn This gives a maximum speed of Template:Convert, and a range of Template:Convert at Template:Convert.Template:SfnTemplate:SfnTemplate:Efn The ships carried Template:Cvt of fuel and were capable of generating 2,120 kW of power.Template:Sfn

Electronics

Almirante Padilla-class frigates were initially equipped with one Thomson-CSF Sea Tiger air search radar, one Castor IIB fire control radar.Template:Sfn The Sea Tiger radar had a range of Template:Convert for a target Template:Cvt and the Castor IIB radar, a range of Template:Cvt for a Template:Cvt target.Template:Sfn a Thomson-CSF Vega II fire-control system (FCS) and two Canopus optronic directors. The vessels had a Krupp Atlas AS04-2 hull-mounted sonar, a Racal Scimitar electronic warfare jammer and two Dagaie chaff launchers.Template:Sfn The ships have been improved through the years later receiving Thomson-CSF TAVITAC combat action data systems and Argo AC672 electronic support measures.Template:Sfn

Armament

File:Arc fragata caldas.jpg

ARC Caldas

The frigates were originally armed with eight MM 40 Exocet anti-ship missiles in two quad mounts located amidships, each carrying a Template:Convert warhead with a range of Template:Cvt. The Almirante Padilla class were also armed with an OTO Melara [[OTO Melara 76 mm#Compact|Template:Convert/62-calibre Compact]] naval gun, mounted forward firing Template:Cvt projectiles to a range of Template:Cvt, 85 rounds per minute.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn For anti-submarine warfare, the vessels were equipped with six Template:Cvt torpedo tubes in two triple mounts sighted to either side of the aft superstructure using Whitehead A244S torpedoes carrying a Template:Cvt warhead with a range of Template:Cvt.Template:SfnTemplate:SfnTemplate:Efn

For anti-air defence, the frigates were initially armed with twin-mounted Breda Template:Cvt guns and four Emerlac Template:Cvt guns in two twin mounts.Template:Sfn By 2009 the 30 mm guns had been removed. The twin-mounted 40 mm guns are situated aft of the landing platform at the rear of the ship and are capable of firing 300 rounds per minute to a range of Template:Cvt.Template:Sfn A space was left in front of the bridge to allow for the later installation of surface-to-air missiles (SAMs).Template:Sfn The French Mistral SAM system was chosen composed of two twin Matra Simbad launchers. The Mistral SAM has a warhead of Template:Cvt and a range of Template:Cvt for use against sea-skimming missiles.Template:Sfn

Aircraft

File:Colombian navy frigate ARC Antioquia (FM 53) during UNITAS Atlantic 2012.jpg

ARC Antioquia during UNITAS Atlantic on 23 September 2012

The Almirante Padilla class does have a hangar facility, and thus can embark a helicopter. The landing platform aft is suitable for a Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm MBB Bo 105 CBS-5 or the Eurocopter AS-555-SN Fennec helicopters for over-the-horizon targeting. The landing pad was extended aft by Template:Cvt to accommodate Bell 412 helicopters.Template:Sfn

Orion Program Upgrade

The Orion Program Upgrade was a mid-life refit performed by the Thales Group. In January 2012, Thales Group delivered the first upgraded Almirante Padilla-class frigates to the Colombian Navy. The equipment upgrades included a series of new sensors including the Smart-s Mk2 radar, TACTICOS combat system, Sting-EO Mk2 naval fire control tracking system, MIRADOR electro-optical multi-sensor surveillance, tracking and fire control system. For defence, the vessels were upgraded with the Vigile Radar Electronic Support Measures (RESM) system and TERMA SKSW DL-12T decoy system. They were given new MTU M-93 engines and new communication systems. In addition, OTO Melara DART ammunition and 16 SSM-700K Hae Sung I (Sea Star) anti-ship missiles were ordered. In September 2014, Colombia fired the DART guided ammunition from the Oto Melara 76 mm Strales. The testing was performed aboard Caldas.

Ships in class

File:ARC Almirante Padilla.jpg

Almirante Padilla at sea

Almirante Padilla-class frigatesTemplate:Sfn
Name	Pennant number	Builder	Laid down	Launched	Commissioned	Status
	FM-51	Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft, Kiel	17 March 1981	6 January 1982	31 October 1983	In active service
	FM-52		14 June 1981	23 April 1982	14 February 1984	In active service
	FM-53		22 June 1981	28 August 1982	30 April 1984	In active service
	FM-54		22 June 1981	21 January 1983	27 July 1984	In active service

Service history

The Almirante Padilla-class frigates are used primarily to patrol Colombia's exclusive economic zone and perform anti-narcotic patrols in Colombian waters. The frigates have also taken part in naval exercises such as UNITAS and PANAMAX. The frigates can also be used to resupply outlying military posts on Colombian islands.