Army Recognition – On September 11, 2025, Navantia launched the F111 Bonifaz, the first of the new F110 class frigates for the Spanish Navy, at its Ferrol shipyard. The vessel entered the water one month earlier than planned, with more than 70 percent of its construction complete, and is now scheduled for outfitting and sea trials before delivery in 2028.
(Thanks to Alain)
CIMSEC – The case for a Spanish Coast Guard is just an example among many others of the debates that European nations in NATO will have to face in order to make the most out of their limited resources, and find the most efficient ways to do so.
Maritime Executive – The Spanish Navy is reporting that it tracked a Russian attack submarine entering the Mediterranean and accompanied for part of the trip by a Russian tug. It was a part of the regular NATO efforts in the region where activity by Russians has been watched more intently this year as more ships were entering the Mediterranean as the political situation in Syria unfolded.
(Thanks to Alain)
Army Recognition – The Spanish Navy recently conducted a critical joint exercise in the waters near Cartagena, centering on the S-81 Isaac Peral, the first of the S-80 class submarines.
(Thanks to Alain)
Center for Maritime Strategy – On November 30th, 2023 the Spanish Navy (“Armada Española”) received the S-81 Isaac Peral, the first of four diesel-electric attack submarines of the S-80 Plus class, built by Spanish shipbuilder Navantia. The S-80 program is expected to revive the Navy’s diminished submarine fleet by 2028 and significantly enhance Spain’s maritime surveillance and area denial capabilities. The S-80-class submarines come at a time when the Spanish Navy is under-resourced to meet the strategic requirements and threats imposed by its current maritime environment.
Naval News – The Spanish Ministry of Defence has ordered 16 Airbus C295 aircraft in Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) configuration and Maritime Surveillance Aircraft (MSA) configuration.
Naval News – The Spanish Council of Ministers has approved an agreement that modifies the limits to acquire spending commitments charged to future years, in order to enable the Spanish Ministry of Defense the acquisition of six Airbus C295W Maritime Patrol Aircraft and ten C295W Maritime Surveillance Aircraft.
El Snorkel – The Integrated Combat System of the S-80 Plus class submarines is the true “heart of the warrior.” (In Spanish)
(Thanks to Alain)
Bladi.net – A Spanish Navy military ship is currently carrying out a mission in the Melilla region. Its presence in the enclave has not been viewed favourably by Morocco.
(Thanks to Alain)
Naval News – S-81 Isaac Peral is one of the largest non-nuclear submarines in the world. The long-range 2,965 ton boat will bring new capabilities to the Spanish Navy and is being offered on the export market. Uniquely for a Western non-nuclear submarine it is equipped to launch Tomahawk missiles.
Wall Street Journal – Law-enforcement authorities say a vessel seized in Spain that was carrying tons of cocaine represents a new tactic in trafficking to Europe.
(Thanks to Alain)
– Naval News – The Spanish Ministry of Defence has asked the Spanish Navy (Armada Española) to activate the Galicia (L51) landing platform dock (LPD) to support the medical capability of the autonomous city of Mellila in the fight against the Covid-19 epidemic.
– USNI News – A Spanish guided-missile frigate is temporarily dropping out to the Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group over the U.S. shift in operations toward Iran.
– USNI News – Spanish shipbuilding firm Navantia is showcasing the utility of its F-100 frigate design to the U.S. Navy ahead of the Spanish Armada deploying one with the Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group this spring.
– USNI News – A Spanish frigate will deploy with USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) and attached to its carrier strike group on a deployment from Naval Station Norfolk, Va. later this year.
– BBC – An attempt to deploy a new submarine for Spain’s navy has run aground again, after it emerged it cannot fit in its dock.
– USNI News – Spain has received U.S. State Department approval for an estimated $860.4-million purchase of five Aegis Weapons Systems to install on five frigates, and Australia was approved for a $185-million Aegis purchase of its own.
– USNI News – In a recent U.S. visit, the Spanish Secretary of State for Defense Pedro Argüelles asked American officials for more help to correct design problems with its S-80 diesel-electric submarine program.
– Quartz – One of Spain’s largest defense splurges may also be one of its most embarrassing. After spending nearly one-third of a $3 billion budget to build four of the world’s most advanced submarines, the project’s engineers have run into a problem: the submarines are so heavy that they would sink to the bottom of the ocean.
– Defense Technology International – The Juan Carlos I, Spain’s amphibious aircraft carrier launched on September 30, 2010, is undergoing year-long sea trials and last week started the process of gaining its air-naval certification.
– Brahmand – The Spanish Navy has received its largest multi-role warship ‘Juan Carlos I’ from the country’s leading ship-building company Navanita.
Defense Technology International – Spanish Sub Fleet Back to Two, up from One
Spain’s submarine fleet is beginning to regain operational capacity a year after the serious accident aboard the Tramontana in which water began infiltrating the hull while it was 300m deep and 15 nautical miles off the coast of Cartagena. The crew were able to get the submarine back to port. The incident led to the temporary withdrawal of the four submarines of the Agosta-class in order to review them.
Sea Power – Naval news from the Spanish, United Arab Emirates, Turkish, Swedish, and Latvian navies.
UPI – Spanish and Russian officials announced Tuesday that the two nations will have joint naval exercises next year.
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The Times – There was growing speculation in Madrid last night that the centre-right Government of JosÈ MarÌa Aznar, defeated by the socialists in elections in March, supported secret plans to stage a coup in Equatorial Guinea, a former Spanish colony. The Spanish had sent a naval task force to aid the coup.
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