The Peruvian Ministry of Defence is upgrading Peruvian Navy (Marina de Guerra del Perú) Type 209/1200 diesel-electric submarines, the service announced in late December. The BAP Antofagasta (SS-32) submarine is undergoing moderation at the Peruvian state-run shipyard Servicios Industriales de la Marina (SIMA). She is one of two Type 209/1200 submarines ordered by the Peruvian Navy on 12 August 1976.
The BAP Antofagasta was built by the German shipbuilder Howaldtswerke Deutsche Werft AG at its shipyard in Kiel. She is named after the Naval Battle of Antofagasta during the War of the Pacific. Following sea trials in the North Sea, she arrived at its homeport of Callao in 1981. After several years in service she was overhauled by Servicio Industrial de la Marina (SIMA) at Callao in 1996.
The Peruvian Navy is carrying out a programme to extend the operational life of its four Type 209/1200 diesel-electric subs for at least another decade. In 2018, the BAP Chipana (SS-34) began the process of being modernized by SIMA. Electrical, navigation and propulsion systems were also upgraded. The other three submarines of the same class – BAP Angamos, and BAP Pisagua – were also destined to be upgraded following the completion of work performed on the BAP Chipana.
The Type 209 is a class of diesel-electric attack submarine developed exclusively for export by Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft of Germany. The original variant (Type 209/1100) was designed in the late 1960s. Despite not being operated by the German Navy, five variants of the class (209/1100, 209/1200, 209/1300, 209/1400 and 209/1500) have been successfully exported to 13 countries, with 61 submarines being built and commissioned between 1971 and 2008.
