Baleares Class Frigate

The Baleares class were a group of five frigates built for the Spanish navy in the 1970s. The ships are a modified version of the American Knox class frigates. The key differences are the replacement of the Sea Sparrow PDMS and ASW helicopter facilities by Standard SAM and associated radars. They received a SPS-52B 3D search radar and one SPG-51 illuminator for the Standard SM-1 medium range SAM, fired from a Mk22 16 round single arm launcher. The SQS-26 long range LF sonar was replaced by a SQS-23G MF sonar, while two Mk25 tubes for Mk37 torpedoes we mounted in the tramson. The SQS-35 variable depth sonar was maintained.

The five ships were upgraded several times during their service lives. They received a Spanish TRITAN combat data system and the EW suite was upgraded with Spanish equipment. Mk36 SROC decoy launchers were also added, as well as two quadruple Harpoon launchers amidships. Two Meroka CIWS gun system were also fitted. The old SQS-23G sonar was replaced by a modern DE-1160LF set built in Spain (a larger, lower frequecy version of the SQS-56 sonar) and the Mk25 tubes were dismounted to allow for female crewmember berthing.

The Ships have recently been retired, in order to assume the F-100 frigates costs .

 

Ships of the class

F71 Baleares 1970 - 2004

F72 Andalucia 1971 - 2005

F73 Cataluna 1971 - 2004

F74 Asturias  1972 - 2009

F75 Extremadura 1972 - 2006

Andalucia is seen here alongside in Leith

Santa Maria Class Frigates

SPS Navarra (F85) is the fifth of the six Spanish-built Santa Maria-class frigates, based on the American Oliver Hazard Perry class design, of the Spanish Navy.

Laid down on April 15, 1991, and launched on October 23, 1992, Navarra was commissioned in service on May 27, 1994.

The ship features a series of improvements to her previous sisters, with a new Meroka mod 2B CIWS, and upgraded fire control systems with Mk.92 mod6 CORT (Coherent Receiver Transmitter) and SPS-49(v)5 radar instead of previous (v)4.

All of these Spanish frigates have the length of the later Oliver Hazard Perry frigates, and have a wider beam than the US Navy design, and therefore able to carry more top weight. Fin stabilizers are fitted.

On December 9, 2002, Navarra intercepted the unflagged freighter So San several hundred miles southeast of Yemen at the request of the United States government as part of Operation Enduring Freedom - Horn of Africa. The frigate fired across the So San's bow after the freighter ignored hails and attempted to evade the frigate. The freighter's crew was North Korean; 23 containers containing 15 complete Scud ballistic missiles, 15 high-explosive warheads, and 23 nitric acid containers were found on board. Yemen claimed ownership of the shipment and protested the interception and U.S. officials released the vessel after receiving assurances that the missiles would not be transferred to a third party. On 23 March 2010, she sank a Somali pirate mothership lifeboat and captured two skiffs, after private security forces successfully defended the MV Almezaan from a pirate attack. The six suspected pirates were later released, when the master and crew of the Almezaan refused to testify.

Ships of the class 

F81 Santa Maria

F82 Victoria

F83 Numancia

F84 Reina Sofia

F85 Navarra

F86 Canarias

Sps Navarra is seen here departing Faslane

Álvaro De Bazán Class Frigates

The Álvaro de Bazán class (also known as the F100 class of frigates) are a new class of Aegis combat system-equipped air defense frigates entering service with the Spanish Navy. They are being built in the Spanish factory of Ferrol and are named after Admiral Álvaro de Bazán.

The ships utilize American Aegis weapons technology allowing them to track hundreds of airborne targets simultaneously as part of its air defense network. The F100 Alvaro de Bazan class multirole frigate is one of the few non-US warships to carry the Aegis Combat System and its associated AN/SPY-1 radar. (Japan's Kongo class and the F100-derived Norwegian Fridtjof Nansen class of frigates also use the Aegis system.)

The F100 will be the basis of the Australian Hobart class destroyer (previously known as the "Air Warfare Destroyer"). The Australian government announced in June 2007 that, in partnership with Navantia, three F100 vessels will be built for the Royal Australian Navy with the first due for delivery in 2014.

Lockheed Martin, Navantia and the U.S. Navy are conducting final systems integration.

The Alvaro de Bazan class frigates are the first modern vessels of the Spanish Navy to incorporate ballistic resistant steel in the hull, along with the power plants being mounted on anti-vibration mounts, reducing the noise and making them less detectable by submarines.

Ships of the class (year entered service)

F101 Álvaro de Bazán (2002)

F102 Almirante Juan de Borbón (2003)

F103 Blas de Lezo (2004)

F104 Mendez-Nuñez (2006)

F105 Cristobal Colón (2011)

F106 Juan de Austria  (2012)

Operational History

In late 2005, Álvaro de Bazán was deployed as part of the USS Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier battle group in the Persian Gulf. This was the first deployment of a Spanish warship as part of an American naval battle group.

In early March 2007, the Álvaro de Bazán was the first Spanish Naval Vessel to visit Australia in 150 years. The ship made several port visits around Australia in conjunction with the Spanish Naval ship builder Navantia's bid to design the Royal Australian Navy's new Air Warfare Destroyer. The ship was also visiting Australia as part of the first circumnavigation of the globe by a Spanish warship in 142 years.

Álvaro de Bazán is seen here alongside in Leith

Seen here with the Spanish naval tanker Patiño