NEWTOWN, Conn. - The Colombian Navy is in the process of assessing the status of various systems onboard the Donghae-class PCC 755 Anyang corvette recently donated by South Korea. The ship has been renamed the NariƱo in Colombian service.
Thales Group facilitated the ship's transfer and will provide support and assistance to the Colombian Navy while it conducts its inspection. Thales Group will also assist in the modernization and updating of the ship's combat management and fire control systems.
Initially, in October 2011, South Korea offered to donate its retired Po Hang class Kun San corvette to Colombia. The Kun San was decommissioned in September 2011 after 27 years in service with South Korea and was offered to Colombia free of charge. A Colombian naval delegation was sent to South Korea in February 2013 to assess the vessel. However, the South Korean Ministry of Defense also offered to donate its Donghae-class PCC 755 Anyang corvette which had also been retired from service. Colombia agreed to receive the PCC755 instead. The vessel will be used for maritime patrols and for drug trafficking operations at sea.