Spanish frigate Álvaro de Bazán

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.

Álvaro de Bazán underway in December 2005
History
Spain
NameÁlvaro de Bazán
NamesakeÁlvaro de Bazán
BuilderNAVANTIA-IZAR, Astillero Ferrol
Cost600 million €
Identificationpennant number: F101
Badge
General characteristics
Class and typeÁlvaro de Bazán-class frigate
Displacement5.800 tons full load
Length146.7 m (481.3 ft)
Beam18.6 m (61.0 ft)
Draft8.0 m (26.2 ft)
Propulsion
Speed28.5 knots (52.8 km/h; 32.8 mph)
Range4,500 nautical miles (8,300 km; 5,200 mi)
Complement250 (48 officers)
Sensors and
processing systems
Electronic warfare
& decoys
  • 4 × FMC SRBOC Mk36 flare launchers
  • SLQ-25A Enhanced Nixie torpedo countermeasures
  • Indra SLQ-380 EW suite
  • CESELSA Elnath Mk 9000 interceptor
Armament
Aircraft carried1 × Sikorsky SH-60B LAMPS III Seahawk

Operational history

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Álvaro de Bazán sails alongside the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt during Álvaro de Bazán's departure from Carrier Strike Group Two

In late 2005, Álvaro de Bazán was deployed as part of the USS Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier battle group in the Persian Gulf. This was the first deployment of a Spanish warship as part of an American naval battle group.

In early March 2007, Álvaro de Bazán became the first Spanish warship to visit Australia in 150 years. The deployment included several port visits, and was performed to support Navantia's bid to design the Hobart-class destroyer for the Royal Australian Navy. The ship was also visiting Australia as part of the first circumnavigation of the globe by a Spanish warship in 142 years.[1]

References

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  1. ^ "Arrival of Spanish F100 destroyer option". Australian Department of Defence. Retrieved 2007-04-17.
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