Peruvian Navy plans frigate upgrades in wake of other vessel retirements

The Peruvian Navy decomissioned its corvette Velarde . (The Peruvian Navy)

The Peruvian Navy plans to upgrade four of the six frigates remaining in service as a stopgap measure until new frigates and offshore patrol vessels (OPVs) are acquired, according to navy sources.

Along with general repairs and maintenance work, the frigates will receive new electronic support measures (ESM) systems and a new electro-optical surveillance and fire-control system. International tenders for such acquisitions are expected to be launched by early 2023, sources confirmed to Janes .

Upgrades will be applied to the four frigates that received improvements during the past decade, Carvajal-class frigates Grau (FM 53) and Mariategui (FM 54), and Aguirre-class frigates Aguirre (FM 55) and Bolognesi (FM 57). The four are expected to stay in service until the early 2030s when new frigates and OPVs will replace them.

The planned upgrades come in the wake of recent ship decommissions. In late September the Peruvian Navy decommissioned one frigate Villavicencio (FM-52), one OPV San Martin (PO-201), and one missile corvette Velarde (CM-21). All three were commissioned more than 40 years ago.