Peruvian Navy begins Type 209/1200 submarine modernization

Peruvian naval shipyard SIMA has started the modernization of the Peruvian Navy’s four Type 209/1200 submarines.

The first boat to undergo the upgrades is the BAP Chipana which was recently lifted out of the water onto a dry dock for the maintenance.

The Syncrolift system the company used for the procedure was delivered by Norwegian company TTS Syncrolift AS. A similar system was used to launch the Royal Australian Navy AWD destroyers. (watch the system in action here)

Chipana’s hull will now be cut in two to allow the replacement of the command and control systems. The submarine’s propulsion system will also be upgraded in addition to navigation, mechanical and electrical systems.

Peruvian submarine upgrades will be supported by the German submarine specialist thyssenkrupp Marine Systems.

In June 2016, Sima awarded TKMS a €40 million (approx. $45.44M) contract to help with the upgrades. The German company will be involved in engineering and technical services such as cutting and welding on the submarines and will make specialists available to provide local support over a period of seven years.

The four submarines to be upgraded, Chipana, Angamos, Antofagasta and Pisagua, were built in the early 1980s at the thyssenkrupp Marine Systems shipyard (at that time HDW –Howaldtswerke- Deutsche Werft GmbH) in Kiel and have been used by the Peruvian navy ever since.

Peru also operates two Type 209/1100 submarine, BAP Islay and BAP Arica, which were upgraded in 2008.