Proyecto Patrulleros de Zona Marítima OPV
Encyclopedia
The Patrulleros de Zona Marítima (PZM) ( Maritime Zone Patrol Boats ) are a series of offshore patrol vessels
Patrol boat
A patrol boat is a relatively small naval vessel generally designed for coastal defense duties.There have been many designs for patrol boats. They may be operated by a nation's navy, coast guard, or police force, and may be intended for marine and/or estuarine or river environments...
being built for the Navies of Chile
Chilean Navy
-Independence Wars of Chile and Peru :The Chilean Navy dates back to 1817. A year before, following the Battle of Chacabuco, General Bernardo O'Higgins prophetically declared "this victory and another hundred shall be of no significance if we do not gain control of the sea".This led to the...
, Argentina
Argentine Navy
The Navy of the Argentine Republic or Armada of the Argentine Republic is the navy of Argentina. It is one of the three branches of the Armed Forces of the Argentine Republic, together with the Army and the Air Force....
and Colombia.
History
The design of the PZM was developed by Fassmer GmbH & Co. KG, a Germany company to meet the Chilean Navy's requirements under the Danubio IV project. The contract for ASMAR to build the PZMs was signed on May 20, 2005, with Northrop GrummanNorthrop Grumman
Northrop Grumman Corporation is an American global aerospace and defense technology company formed by the 1994 purchase of Grumman by Northrop. The company was the fourth-largest defense contractor in the world as of 2010, and the largest builder of naval vessels. Northrop Grumman employs over...
, Sisdef (a consortium of BAE Systems
BAE Systems
BAE Systems plc is a British multinational defence, security and aerospace company headquartered in London, United Kingdom, that has global interests, particularly in North America through its subsidiary BAE Systems Inc. BAE is among the world's largest military contractors; in 2009 it was the...
and shipbuilder ASMAR (Chilean Navy)) and Rohde & Schwarz
Rohde & Schwarz
Rohde & Schwarz is an independent group of companies specializing in electronics. Well known as a manufacturer of electronic test equipment, they also manufacture equipment used for broadcasting, radiolocation, and radio communications...
participating as main subcontractors at a cost of USD$54 million to be commissioned by 2012. The vessels will be operated by the Coast Guard Service of the Chilean Navy and they will conduct patrol missions in Chile’s Exclusive Economic Zone
Exclusive Economic Zone
Under the law of the sea, an exclusive economic zone is a seazone over which a state has special rights over the exploration and use of marine resources, including production of energy from water and wind. It stretches from the seaward edge of the state's territorial sea out to 200 nautical...
(EEZ). The design of the Proyecto Patrulleros de Zona Marítima is being promoted by Chile as a common platform for South American Navies through the Proyecto Patrullero de Alta Mar Regional or Regional Offshore Patrol Vessel committee.
On 2008, Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
have ordered up to five PZM at a cost of USD$120 million as part of its own Patrulleros de Alta Mar (PAM) programme to be constructed at its Río Santiago Shipyard
Río Santiago Shipyard
The Rio Santiago Shipyard is a shipyard situated in the city of Ensenada, province of Buenos Aires, at the shores of the Santiago River. It has been one of the major active and important shipyards in Latin America. Founded in 1953, it has realized diverse functions in the naval, industrial and...
. Finally on 2010 the Argentine Government launched the construction of the first four in the Tandanor
Tandanor
Tandanor is an Argentine worker-owned shipyard, and the nation's largest. Tandanor is involved in shipbuilding and ship repair and has facilities in Buenos Aires' port....
Shipyard .
Colombian have ordered two vessel to be built at its Cartagena de COTECMAR shipyard by 2012.
Ships of Class
| Name | Pennant | Laid Down | Launched | Commissioned |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Piloto Pardo | 81 | 17-Jun-2007 | 13-Jun-2008 | |
| Comandante Policarpo Toro | 82 | 15-October-2008 | 30-July-2009 |