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F110-class frigate

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The F110 class, also known as the Bonifaz class, are a multi-purpose, anti-submarine class of Aegis combat system-fitted heavy frigates under construction for the Spanish Navy. The project is being co-developed by the Spanish Ministry of Defence and the state-owned company Navantia. The construction of the first unit (Bonifaz [es]) started in April 2022. Deliveries are scheduled to start in about 2025.[2][11]

F110 class
Class overview
NameBonifaz class (F110)
BuildersNavantia
Operators Spanish Navy
Preceded byÁlvaro de Bazán class
Cost
  • € 4.3 billion (US$5.09 billion) for five units[1]
  • € 860 million (US$1.02 billion) per unit
Planned5 ordered (+ 2 potentially)[3]
Building2
General characteristics
Type
Displacement6,100 t (6,000 long tons)[4]
Length145 m (475 ft 9 in)[4]
Beam18 m (59 ft 1 in)[4]
Draft5 m (16 ft 5 in)[4]
Propulsion
Speed> 25 knots (46 km/h; 29 mph)
Complement150
Sensors and
processing systems
Armament
Aircraft carried1 × SH-60 Seahawk or NH-90 helicopter

Project history

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A simplified drawing of the pre-design made by Navantia

The origins of the F110 class project are in the planned replacement for the Spanish Navy's Santa María-class frigates, as contemplated in the ALTAMAR Plan, a Spanish naval white book to modernize the Spanish Navy, with five frigates originally to be built as an enlarged version of the Álvaro de Bazán-class frigates. This concept was later discarded in favor of a mostly clean sheet design.

On 23 December 2011, the Spanish Ministry of Defence awarded a €2 million contract to Indra and Navantia for the design of an integrated sensor mast.[12] In 2015, both companies agreed to develop and integrate the mast and future sensor suite in the ship's SCOMBA (Local Aegis version) combat system.[13] Both companies created a consortium called Protec 110 for this project, with finance from the Ministry of Industry, Energy and Tourism, now the Ministry of Energy, Tourism and Digital Agenda and Ministry of Economy, Industry and Competitiveness.

In June 2017, a Spanish fleet admiral said that his Navy hopes the project will be approved by the end of 2017 or by 2018 at the latest.[14] In September 2018, the Spanish Ministry of Defence announced the selection of the Raytheon RIM-162 ESSM Block 2 as the ships' primary anti-air self-defence weapon.[15]

In March 2019, the go-ahead order for the project was approved by the Spanish Council of Ministers.[16] In April 2022, an official act was carried out that began the construction of the first of the units.[17]

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According to statements by Frigate Captain Carlos Martínez-Merello, Head of the Resources and Media Definition Section of the General Staff of the Navy in 2010, during the Conference on Naval Programs in progress and future programs, that the new frigate must be adapted to the current scenarios in response to conventional and asymmetric threats, such as patrol of a coastline or operations against pirates, which do not require a large vessel.

According to the Spanish Navy, the new frigates must have an operational life of 40 years, have accommodation for extra personnel, and be capable of operating with unmanned vehicles—aerial, surface, and sub-surface. Regarding the desired characteristics, the Navy requests a sustained speed in excess of 25 knots (46 km/h; 29 mph). The F110 will have a multi-purpose area for flexible mission profiles, 240 days of operation at sea, and 18 months of high availability.[18][19][20]

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Recreation of the ship pointing out the weapons and sensors

Navantia is working on the project referred to by the company as F2M2 and has a working group with members of the Spanish Navy, to design the ship's capabilities.[21]

The first design of the five presented was of trimaran type. This was rejected due to the noise of its propulsion system,[22] a great disadvantage since it is looking to develop an anti-submarine ship. The vessel will be seven centimetres (2.8 in) shorter than the F100. It will have a narrower beam of 18 m, 59 ft against 18.6 m, 61 ft of the F100. It can perform humanitarian and combat operations. The superstructure of the vessel will be integrated.[23] The material of the superstructure is not yet defined, although it is likely to be a composite material instead of aluminum. The ship's hull will be made of steel.

It is not yet defined if it will carry an Aegis system with an AN/SPY-1 radar of version D(V), carried by the Spanish frigate Cristóbal Colón, or F(V) model carried by the Norwegian frigates of the Fridtjof Nansen class or of another type, although the company intends to install any type of product that future customers require. What is certain is that the SCOMBA system will be installed.[23] To make it more difficult to locate by radar or thermal imaging, the class will have some stealth capacity, with masts or blocks of sensors not installed on the superstructure. It will have a single gas escape zone that will be installed in the upper deck, and the air intakes will be placed in line with the superstructure. The loading area is below the flight area, with the installation of a downhill ramp on the starboard side. There is a possibility of using an output device similar to that used by the Danish logistical support vessels of the Absalon class.

Units

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There are five units of the class planned.[4] Italics indicate estimated dates.

Pennant number Name Laid down Launched Commissioned Fate
F111 Bonifaz [es][24] 9 August 2023[25] 2024 2025 Under construction; first steel cut April 2022[26]
F112 Roger de Lauria [es][24] 16 December 2023 2025 2026 Under construction; first steel cut December 2023[27][28]
F113 Menéndez de Avilés [es][24] 2024 2026 2027 Planned
F114 Luis de Córdova [es][24] 2025 2027 2028 Planned
F115 Barceló [es][24] 2026 2028 2029 Planned

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Spain's state-held Navantia to build five frigates for navy for 4.3..." Reuters. 13 December 2018. Archived from the original on 14 December 2018. Retrieved 14 December 2018.
  2. ^ a b c "The largest shipbuilder in the Hispanic world presents its concept of the frigate of the future". 8 November 2021. Cite error: The named reference "marketresearchtelecast.com" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  3. ^ "La Armada ya plantea una flota de seis submarinos S80 en Cartagena". Infodefensa (in Spanish). 2 July 2024. Retrieved 2 July 2024.
  4. ^ a b c d e "Programa Fragata F-110" [F110 frigates program] (PDF) (in Spanish). Ministry of Defence (Spain). November 2018. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 March 2019. Retrieved 28 July 2017.
  5. ^ "LM2500 Gas Turbine to Power Spanish Navy's New F-110 Frigates". Naval News. 9 June 2022. Retrieved 25 July 2024.
  6. ^ "Kongsberg Maritime signs 200 MNOK contract to supply propeller systems for five Spanish Naval frigates". Kongsberg. 18 November 2020. Retrieved 25 July 2024.
  7. ^ "Lockheed Martin and Spanish Industry Partner Navantia Reach Critical First Building Block in Aegis Integration". Lockheed Martin. 18 May 2023. Retrieved 25 July 2024.
  8. ^ "Thales Integrated Sonar Suite Selected for Spanish Navy's new Multi-Mission Frigates". Thales. 12 December 2019. Retrieved 25 July 2024.
  9. ^ Scott, Richard (17 June 2024). "Lockheed Martin SPY-7 Radar Hits Milestone For Spain's F-110 Frigate". Naval News. Retrieved 25 July 2024.
  10. ^ Carrasco, Benjamin (13 December 2019). "Las nuevas fragatas españolas llevarán el cañón 127/64 Vulcano de Leonardo". Infodefensa (in Spanish). Retrieved 25 July 2024.
  11. ^ "Spain to start the building of its new F-110 frigates this year". Navyrecognition.com. 22 January 2019. Retrieved 7 May 2019.
  12. ^ "Defensa adjudica a Indra y Navantia el desarrollo de un nuevo mástil para las F-110". Infodefensa (in Spanish). 23 December 2011. Retrieved 25 July 2024.
  13. ^ Fernández, Nuria (4 December 2015). "Indra y Navantia se encargarán de la integración de sensores en el mástil y el SCOMBA de las F-110 por 135 millones". Infodefensa (in Spanish). Retrieved 25 July 2024.
  14. ^ Alonso, Álvaro (27 June 2017). "El nuevo almirante jefe del Arsenal espera el inicio de las F-110 para el próximo año". La Voz de Galicia (in Spanish). Retrieved 25 July 2024.
  15. ^ Ing, David (24 September 2018). "Spain opts for ESSM Block 2 for future F-110 frigates". IHS Jane's 360. Madrid. Archived from the original on 24 September 2018. Retrieved 25 September 2018.
  16. ^ "El Gobierno aprueba la orden de ejecución de las fragatas F-110". Infodefensa (in Spanish). 29 March 2019. Retrieved 7 May 2019.
  17. ^ Carrasco, Benjamin (6 April 2022). "Navantia inicia la construcción de la primera fragata F-110 para la Armada". Infodefensa (in Spanish). Retrieved 7 April 2022.
  18. ^ "La Armada establece como determinante la capacidad de guerra antiaérea en el futuro buque de superficie F-110". Infodefensa (in Spanish). 25 March 2010. Retrieved 25 July 2024.
  19. ^ Couce, Beatriz (28 October 2010). "Navantia trabaja ya con la Armada en una nueva generación de fragatas". La Voz de Galicia (in Spanish). Retrieved 25 July 2024.
  20. ^ Couce, Beatriz (31 October 2010). "Las fragatas F-110 serán más rápidas y portarán vehículos no tripulados". La Voz de Galicia (in Spanish). Retrieved 25 July 2024.
  21. ^ Euronaval news 2010 - F2M2 The concept ship of Navantia[permanent dead link]
  22. ^ "La Armada presenta sus conceptos sobre la futura fragata F-110". Infodefensa (in Spanish). 1 March 2012. Retrieved 25 July 2024.
  23. ^ a b "SCOMBA system" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 July 2013. Retrieved 28 July 2017.
  24. ^ a b c d e Villarejo, Esteban (16 December 2019). "La propuesta de la Armada para nombrar a las fragatas F-110: Bonifaz, Roger de Lauria, Menéndez de Avilés..." ABC España (in Spanish).
  25. ^ "Navantia Lays Keel Of Spain's First F110 Frigate". Naval News. 17 August 2023.
  26. ^ Groizeleau, Vincent (23 September 2022). "Où en est le programme des futures frégates espagnoles du type F110?". Mer et Marine (in French). Retrieved 29 September 2022.
  27. ^ "Pedro Sánchez asiste este sábado en Ferrol al corte de chapa de la F-112 y al inicio de la fábrica de bloques". Diario de Ferrol (in Spanish). 15 December 2023. Retrieved 16 December 2023.
  28. ^ "Navantia inicia la construcción de la segunda fragata F-110 para la Armada". Infodefensa (in Spanish). 18 December 2023.
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