Navantia will modernize cannons on four Spanish patrolmen

Work will be carried out on ocean-type patrols BAM: Meteoro (P41), Rayo (P42), Relámpago (P43) and Tornado (P44) at a cost of EUR 8.7 million.

Polish Navy commissioned Navantia to repair four 76mm/62 cannons This is Melara on the first four patrol ships of the type BAM. The five-year modernisation programme first includes dismantling, upgrading and adaptation to patrolmen BAM, two cannons currently installed on patrol ships Elena's Infantry (P76) and Infant Cristina (P77), or declassed corvettes of a type Descubierta, decommissioned in October of this year, which will be dismantled next year. After this process, the cannons will be remounted on OPV Meteoro and Rayo. Navantia will then perform the same renovation on two cannons that will be removed from these BAM- and install on Relámpago and Tornado.

The purpose of the renovation is to restore the functionality and performance of cannons, introduce necessary modifications and upgrade components to systems to update their configuration and improve their functional characteristics. Navantia will carry out both the refurbishment and replacement of the necessary parts and the replacement and installation work of the department on board BAM- as well as port and sea tests, which will check the proper functioning of the cannons and the commissioning of the department for naval use.

This programme will provide around 40,000 man-hours of work, which means full employment in the Navantia Sistemas production workshops over the next five years. This division of the company has been specialized in repairs and modernization of sea cannons for years and does so for its own fleet ships and foreign customers.

76 mm cannons are main artillery weapons of type BAM, in addition to them, each ship has 2 25 mm caliber cannons and 2 Wkm of 12.7 mm. In addition to these, ships have a helicopter. NH90.

Written by TDW