The Peruvian Navy Ship (BAP) Chipana, one of the ships that make up the submarine fleet of the Peruvian Navy, began the testing phase in the water within the framework of the modernization process of which it was subject and which It is run by the national company Servicios Industriales de la Marina SA (Sima Perú).
It was initially named Blume, in honor of the Peruvian engineer Federico Blume, who designed and built the first Peruvian submarine “Toro” in 1879 to be used in the maritime confrontation with Chile. However, the Navy chose to name it Chipana, in honor of the combat of the same name that occurred in the Pacific War.
Characteristics
The BAP Chipana has a length (length of the ship) of 55.87 meters, 6.43 meters of beam (width) and 5.9 meters of depth (height). In addition, it has a surface displacement of 980 tons that, when submerged, increases to 1,230 tons and an autonomy of 50 days.
Likewise, it has four MTU 12V493 diesel engines linked to their respective generators and a Siemens AG electric motor that delivers 3,600 horsepower (HP); It develops a maximum speed of 22 knots in immersion and 10 knots on the surface.
Ministers of Production and Defense attended the launching of the submarine
On the other hand, the Chipana has 8 21-inch torpedo tubes in the bow and can accommodate a crew of 31 people.
Modernization
The Navy Industrial Services company (Sima) is the institution that has taken on the great challenge of modernizing and repairing submarines. Chipana, Antofagasta, Angamos and Pisagua, which are almost 40 years old. These works aim to extend the life of these submersibles from 15 to 20 years.
The BAP Chipana was the first to be intervened for its modernization. The resistant hull was cut in order to replace its diesel engines, power wiring, valves and pipes, among other tasks. Thus, it was possible to install a propulsion engine capable of developing 5,000 HP and weighing 45 tons.
Likewise, 4 new diesel machines and their corresponding generators purchased from Rolls-Royce – MTU of the Federal Republic of Germany were installed, with the same dimensions and design as those originally installed, in order to avoid major modifications to the air intake systems. and exhaust, as well as in the fuel and lubricant pipe connections.
At the end of this work, the resistant hull was closed with the approximation of the cut sections, alignment and adhesion by special welding, in addition to visual tests of magnetic particles and 100% radiographic plates of the welded joint.
Among the new and modern equipment installed, there is the implementation of a hatch with the objective of docking a small DSRV-type rescue submarine and evacuating the crew in an emergency.
Another detail is the incorporation of the integrated combat system “Kallpa,” developed by Sima engineers through its Weapons Systems and Electronics (SAE) area, which allows the data captured by the new sonar and other sensors to be merged, optimizing the shooting process.
A modern periscope has also been installed at the BAP Chipana. This modern device offers three levels of image amplification, a high-definition television camera, a low light level TV (LLTV) camera for viewing low-luminosity objects, and a laser rangefinder, among other functions.
Currently, this ship has been launched in order to begin stability and watertightness verification tests. In the first days of 2024, the Chipana will leave the area where it is stranded towards the submarine dock, where tests will be carried out on a shiplift platform and the installation of the periscope, snorkel and navigation radar masts. .
The last phase will include sea tests both on the surface and in immersion, which will allow the perfect functioning of the BAP Chipana to be validated and once again incorporated into the service of the Peruvian Navy.
Project
The “Submarine Capacity Recovery Program in the Maritime Theater of Operations”, the official name of the project, began in December 2017 with the entry of the BAP Chipana into the Sima shipyards.
For the execution of this project, the construction of a hangar was required, the implementation of a synchro ship lift with a lifting capacity of up to 2,500 tons and a transfer yard and parking lots to carry out ship construction and repair work.
According to the operational schedule, the second unit that will enter the Sima workshops will be the BAP Antofagasta in mid-January 2024. In December, it will be the turn of the BAP Angamos and in 2025, that of the BAP Pisagua.
2024-01-01 23:10:25
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