Built 1981-1983 Planned 4 | In commission 1983- | |
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Name Almirante Padilla class Operators Colombian National Navy | ||
The Almirante Padilla-class corvette is a group of corvette operated by the Colombian Navy. The designation of this class is Type FS 1500 and there are 4 ships in service. The ships were built by Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft (HDW) at Kiel, Germany. Two similar ships operates as the Kasturi-class corvettes in the Malaysian Navy.
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Propulsion
The Almirante Padilla class is powered by a CODAD propulsion system, provided by four MTU diesels driving two shafts and developing 23,400 horsepower (17,400 kW) driving two Controllable Pitch propellers. This gives a maximum speed of 28 knots (52 km/h; 32 mph), and a range of 7,000 nautical miles (13,000 km; 8,100 mi) at 14 kn (26 km/h; 16 mph).
Aircraft
The Almirante Padilla class does not have a hangar facility, and thus does not have an embarked helicopter. The landing platform aft is suitable for a Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm MBB Bo 105 CBS-5 or the Eurocopter AS-555-SN Fennec for over-the-horizon targeting.
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 frigate to the Colombian Navy.
The equipment upgrades included:
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.