Damen Naval contracts BAE Systems to provide naval gun for Colombia’s PES frigate
Peter Felstead
BAE Systems has received a contract from Damen Naval to supply a Bofors 40 Mk4 naval gun system for installation on the Plataforma Estratégica de Superficie (PES) frigate being built for the Colombian Navy, BAE Systems announced on 12 March 2025.
Based on Damen Naval’s proven SIGMA 10514 series, the PES frigate will be built by COTECMAR in Cartagena, Colombia’s leading shipyard, with assistance from Damen Naval.
The Bofors 40 Mk4 is a compact and lightweight 40 mm naval gun system designed for both anti-surface warfare and air defence operations. It can switch seamlessly between ammunition types, allowing versatile targeting of air, land, and sea-based threats. The gun’s programmable and airburst-capable 40 mm Bofors 3P ammunition, according to BAE Systems, “provides it with the highest possible combat flexibility, as it can be programmed in six different function modes to provide optimised effect”.
The system has a rate of fire equivalent to 300 rounds per minute and a maximum range of 12,500 m. The weight of the system, excluding ammunition, is 2,300 kg
Colombia is the second Latin American customer to adopt the the Bofors 40 Mk4; Brazil also selected the weapon as its standard primary gun system for small- to medium-sized vessels.
“We continue to be a trusted partner in Latin America, providing world-leading capabilities in the region to support future growth,” Stefan Löfström, marketing and sales director at BAE Systems Bofors, was quoted as saying in a company press release. “We are delivering cutting-edge solutions that include advanced firepower and the lightning-quick response that the Colombian Navy requires.”
Damen Naval Project Director Jasper Oreel added, “Damen Naval is very pleased that BAE Systems Bofors will strengthen the versatile combat capabilities of the SIGMA 10514-based PES frigate with their Bofors 40 Mk4 for the Colombian Navy. As this is the first (direct) procurement contract between BAE Systems Bofors and Damen Naval, we are looking forward to further establishing our business relationship and the PES project execution.
The Bofors 40 Mk4 is scheduled to be installed on the PES frigate in 2029.
