Frigate "Álvaro de Bazán" (F-101)

Frigate ‘Álvaro de Bazán’ is the first unit of her series. The ship belongs to the 31st Escort Squadron stationed in Ferrol (NW Spain). She boasts a modern design and remarkable military capabilities, which help the Spanish Navy to fulfil the objectives outlined in the National Defense Guidelines.

The frigate was launched on October 27th 2000 in NAVANTIA Shipyards in Ferrol. Her sponsor was Casilda Silva Fernández de la Henestrona, Marchioness of Santa Cruz, a descendant of Admiral Álvaro de Bazán. The ship’s motto and coat of arms is: ‘Rey Servido y Patria Honrada’ (Served King and Honored Homeland).

Their AEGIS Combat System makes them a most valuable asset at the service of the Nation’s foreign policy, not only in conventional operations, but also in peace-keeping and humanitarian aid missions, and the enforcement of UN or NATO resolutions.

Displacement: 5.853 tons.

Length: 146,7 m.

Beam: 18,6 m

Draft: 7,5m

Max. height: 50 mts

Max. Speed: 28 knots.

Range: 4.500 miles at 18 knots.

Propulsion:

The F-100 program is a key project both, for the Spanish Navy and the naval shipbuilding industry. From the point of view of military capabilities, the F-100 frigates are some of the best European warships. These are some of the future challenges:

• Force projection ashore.
• Management and prevention of crises.
• Defense in asymmetric conflicts.
• Implementation of UN resolutions.
• Humanitarian aid operations.
• Any other challenges given the current strategic scenarios.

Although they are multi-purpose frigates, the ‘Álvaro de Bazán’-class warships are mainly anti-air units thanks to their SPY-1D radar. They have also the capability of controlling their own air assets.

The upgrading carried out in the last years, allow these ships to enjoy even better anti-air defense capabilities against ballistic missiles or employ cruise missiles against land targets. They can easily interoperate with other warships from the main allied navies.

Our home base is Ferrol (Corunna), an 18th century compound but refurbished and updated to be able to provide logistic support to 21st century units.

RADARS

SONAR

COUNTERMEASURES

WEAPONS

Missiles:

Guns:

Torpedoes:

AIRCRAFT

The frigate was launched on October 27th 2000 in NAVANTIA Shipyards in Ferrol. The ship was delivered to the Spanish Navy on September 19th 2002 under the presidency of Prime Minister José Mª Aznar.

The frigate received her Battle Ensign from Her Royal Highness the Princess of Asturias, now Queen Letizia, on September 19th 2006 in Motril (Granada).

She is the fourth vessel in the Spanish Navy with that name: the first one was a three mast steamer (1841-1873); the second a similar one (1873-1885) and the third one was a gunner (1904-1926).

The name “Álvaro de Bazán” comes from the 1st Marquis of Santa Cruz who fought in different battles in Lepanto, Gibraltar, Malta, Lisbon and the Azores.

Álvaro de Bazán was born in Granada in 1526 in a noble family. He served two kings: Charles I and Philip II. He decidedly contributed to the expansion of the Spanish Empire with his victories over the Turks and pirates in the Mediterranean, and over French and British squadrons in the Atlantic Ocean.

Undoubtedly, his most important victory was Lepanto in 1571 against the expansion of the Ottoman Empire. His charisma, expertise and bravery are second to none in the Spanish Navy. He was awarded the title of “Capitán de la Mar Océana” and a nobility title. He died in Lisbon, then a Spanish city, in 1588.

The ship’s motto and coat of arms: “Rey Servido y Patria Honrada” (Served king and Honored Homeland)

A standard crew consists of 205 people (20 officers, 40 NCOs, 145 seamen and ratings). There is further accommodation space for up to 236, so the crew adapts depending on the missions entrusted. Thus, the ship can embark other personnel like a Staff when operating as a Command Ship of a task group, flight crews to operate and maintain the SH-60B, or a Marine Corps special operations and security detachment.

In addition to the many national missions as escort ship of the Fleet, the ‘Álvaro de Bazán’ has participated in the following operations and exercises:

• First verification of her Combat System (CSSQT) in July 2003 in Norfolk (Virginia), launching SM-2 anti-air missiles.
• Visit of King Juan Carlos I on May 13th 2004.
• First Cooperative Deployment between the Spanish Navy and the U.S. Navy, integrated into the Carrier Strike Group 2 in two stages:
• The first, training with U.S. Navy units in Norfolk (April – July 2005).
• The second, her deployment with the ‘USS Theodore Roosevelt’ aircraft-carrier (Sept – Dec. 2005).
• NATO exercise ‘Tiger Meeting’ on September 25th 2006, consisting of a massive attack by fighters against the ship. Her anti-air defense capabilities were most satisfactory in this “saturation situation”.
• Endurance cruise from January 23rd to May 19th 2007 around the globe. Her main mission was to support the State foreign policy and enhance the image of our national industry. It is worth mentioning the activities carried out in Australia; there, NAVANTIA was awarded the contract for the shipbuilding of the new Australian Navy frigates.
• Visit of the Prince of Asturias on October 23rd 2007 during her Operational Qualification.
• Flagship of the NATO Standing Force SNMG-1 from January 22nd to March 21st 2008.
• Combat System upgrading in 2009 to include EVOLVED SEA SPARROW missile capability. Verification of combat system, upgrading and enhancement were carried out in February 2010 in San Diego (California) with the launching of SM-2 and SEA SPARROW missiles.
• Maritime Security operation ‘Active Endeavour’ in the Mediterranean in May 2010.
• Exercise ‘Noble Mariner’ from February 28th to March 10th 2011 and NATO’s exercise ‘Response Force’ simulating a crisis scenario and the deployment of a NATO force to upkeep security, stability and freedom of navigation.
• Operation ‘Unified Protector’ in September 2011 in Libyan waters under NATO command to participate in the UN embargo operations.
• Operation ‘Active Endeavor’ from March to April 2012. A maritime security operation in the Mediterranean.
• Flagship of SNMG-2 from October 2013 to March 2014 in the Mediterranean Sea and the Indian Ocean.
• Flagship of SNMG-1 between December 2015 to June 2016.
• NATO exercises ‘Formidable Shield 2017’ and ‘Joint Warrior 172’ when an Evolved Sea Sparrow (ESSM) anti-air missile was launched.
• In 2018, the ship integrated into the SNMG-1 in the North and Baltic Seas participating in exercises ‘Joint Warrior 181’, ‘BALTOPS 18’ and ‘Dynamic Mongoose 18.
• Flagship of SNMG-2 from June to November 2020 in the Mediterranean Sea taking part in exercises ‘Dynamic Mariner 20’, ‘Dynamic Guard 20’ and ‘Mavi Balina 20’.