BAE Systems has received a contract from Damen Naval for a Bofors 40 Mk4 naval gun system to be installed for anti-aircraft and anti-surface operations on the PES frigate of the Colombian Navy – a Damen Naval SIGMA-class ship.
With more than 70 systems sold to eight countries since 2015, Colombia is the second Latin American customer to adopt the highly versatile and multi-target naval gun. Brazil also selected the Bofors 40 Mk4 as their 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,” said Stefan Löfström, marketing & sales director at BAE Systems Bofors. “We are delivering cutting-edge solutions that include advanced firepower and the lightening quick response that the Colombian Navy requires.”
The Bofors 40 Mk4 is a compact and lightweight naval gun system designed for anti-aircraft and anti-surface warfare operations. It can switch seamlessly among ammunition types, which delivers versatile targeting of air, land, and sea-based threats. The programmable 40 mm Bofors 3P ammunition provides the naval gun system with the highest possible combat flexibility, as it can be programmed in six different function modes to provide optimized effect. The proven 40 mm gun, together with the latest in munitions technology, forms a platform ready to meet both the expected – and the unexpected.
“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,” said Damen Naval Project Director Jasper Oreel. “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 gun is scheduled to be installed on the PES frigate in 2029.
