FRIGATES AND DESTROYERS

ALVARO DE BAZAN CLASS

 

The Álvaro de Bazán is the lead ship of the Álvaro de Bazán class of air defence frigates entering service with the Spanish Navy.

The Álvaro de Bazán is the lead ship of the Álvaro de Bazán class of air defence frigates entering service with the Spanish Navy. She is named after Admiral Álvaro de Bazán.

Four ships have been ordered by the Spanish Navy. The first, Alvaro de Bazan (F101), was launched in October 2000 and commissioned in September 2002. The second, Almirante Juan de Borbon (F102), was launched in February 2002 and commissioned in December 2003.

 

The third, Blas de Lezo (F103) was launched in May 2003 and commissioned in December 2004. The fourth, Mendez Nunez (F104), was launched in November 2004 and delivered in March 2006.

The ship incorporates the AN/SPY-1D Aegis Combat System from Lockheed Martin Naval Electronics and Surveillance Systems. The main missions of the ship are fleet protection, anti-air warfare, operation as a flag ship for a combat group, anti-surface and anti-submarine warfare. Alvaro de Bazan is the first European ship with the Aegis weapon system.


In 1994, Spain entered an agreement with Germany and The Netherlands, which provides cooperation in development and in national construction of the frigates. In Spain, Izar is building the F100, in The Netherlands, Royal Schelde is building the LCF (De Zeven Provincien Class) and in Germany the ARGE 124 group (Blohm and Voss as the leading yard, Howaldtwerke-Deutsche Werft and Thyssen Nordseewerke) is building the F124 (Sachsen Class).
 

ALVARO DE BAZAN CLASS Specifications
Country of Manufacture Spain
Number in Service 4 (two more building)
Crew 35 officers and 200 ratings
Armament One 5in gun, two 20mm Close-in weapons systems, six SAM launchers firing SM2 and Sea Sparrow missiles, eight Harpoon anti-ship missiles, four torpedo launchers with 12 torpedoes and one Sikorsky SH-60B Seahawk
Length 147m
Beam 18.6m
Draught 4.75m
Displacement 5,800 tonnes
Powerplant Two GE LM 2500 gas turbines
Performance Speed 29 knots, range 5,000 miles
First of Class 2002