Spanish Navy F-100 Frigates: 3.200.000.000 euros Mid-Life Modernisation Approved

Alongside the programme to build the new F-110 frigates-most recently marked by the launch of the first vessel, F-111-the Spanish Navy and Navantia are continuing work on the mid-life modernisation of the current backbone of its surface capabilities: the F-100 frigates. Given the importance of this effort, the Council of Ministers has in recent months progressed through successive stages for the programme’s corresponding approvals and implementation orders. According to its latest meeting, held today, 25 November, these steps allow for projected investment of 3.200.000.000 euros.

F-100 frigates at the core of the Spanish Navy

The Álvaro de Bazán F-100 class is currently the Spanish Navy’s principal combat platform. It was also the first European-built class to be fitted with Lockheed Martin’s AEGIS combat management system.

As outlined by the Council of Ministers in the justification for its latest decision, the frigates have reached the midpoint of their service lives. The modernisation programme is therefore intended to extend their operational life until 2045. It is designed to “eliminate the identified obsolescence issues, provide commonality among the upgraded systems, improve their efficiency and operational capability, and adapt them to environmental standards”.

Accordingly, the “Council of Ministers approved the Agreement authorising the award of the Implementation Order for specified services for the mid-life modernisation of the F-100 frigates”.

New weapons and sensor systems

Among the new sensor and weapon systems that will bring them closer to the standard of the new F-110 frigates are Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace’s (KDA) Norwegian NSM anti-ship missiles. Key elements of the SPY radar and AEGIS combat management systems will also be upgraded.

The work will cover all five ships in the class: Álvaro de Bazán F-101, Almirante Juan de Borbón F-102, Blas de Lezo F-103, Méndez Núñez F-104 and Cristóbal Colón F-105. It has “an estimated value of 3.200.000.000 euros and a duration of one hundred and twenty months from the day following the date of its signature”.

Photographs used for illustrative purposes.

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