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Spanish frigate Navarra

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Navarra on 25 September 2004
History
Spain
NameNavarra
NamesakeNavarra
BuilderBazan
Laid down15 April 1991
Launched23 October 1992
Commissioned30 May 1994
HomeportRota
Identification
Statusin active service
General characteristics
Class and typeSanta Maria-class frigate
Displacement3,160 t (3,110 long tons) standard
Length138.8 m (455 ft 5 in)
Beam14.3 m (46 ft 11 in)
Draught6.6 m (21 ft 8 in) max
Propulsion
Speed29 knots (54 km/h; 33 mph)
Complement223
Sensors and
processing systems
  • Radar: AN/SPS-49(V)4 2-D air search ((V)5 in F-85 & F-86), RAN-12L (being replaced by RAN-30) 2-D low horizon air search radar for Meroka, SPS-55 surface search radar, Mk 92 fire control system,
  • Sonar: SQS-56, SQR-19(V) Towed Array (-19(V)2 in F-85 & F-86),
  • Fire control: Mk 13 weapons control, Mk 92 and SPG-60 STIR missile control, SQQ-89 ASW
Electronic warfare
& decoys		Nettunel (F-85 & F-86: Mk-3000) intercept, SLQ-25 Nixie, Mk36 SROC decoy launchers
Armament
Aircraft carried2 × Sikorsky SH-60B Seahawk LAMPS III helicopters

Navarra (F85) is the fifth of the six Spanish-built Santa Maria-class frigates of the Spanish Navy, which are based on the American Oliver Hazard Perry-class design. The vessel was constructed by Bazan (now Navantia) and launched on 23 October 1992 and commissioned on 27 May 1994. The Santa Maria-class frigates provide anti-submarine and anti-air defence for the Spanish Navy.

Design and description

[edit]
Navarra on 31 March 2007

The Santa María class are a series of six guided missile frigates based on the American Oliver Hazard Perry class.[1] The Oliver Hazard Perry class had been conceived as a way to reduce unit costs while maintaining an anti-air warfare (AAW) platform with anti-submarine (ASW) and anti-surface warfare capabilities.[2] The Oliver Hazard Perry class came in two forms, the short-hulled and long-hulled, with the Santa María class being of the later with additional beam to allow for more top weight for future modifications.[3] The class came in two batches, with the first four being of batch one and the final two of the second. The first batch of ships have a displacement of 2,851 tonnes (2,806 long tons) light, 3,160 t (3,110 long tons) standard and 4,017 t (3,954 long tons) at full load. The second batch have the same light and standard displacements, with a full load displacement of 4,107 t (4,042 long tons). The frigates measure 138.8 metres (455 ft 5 in) long overall and 125.9 m (413 ft 1 in) at the waterline with a beam of 14.3 m (46 ft 11 in) and a standard draught of 4.52 m (14 ft 10 in) and a maximum draught at the sonar dome of 6.6 m (21 ft 8 in).[4] The ships have a complement of 223 sailors including 13 officers.[1]

The Santa María class is propelled by a controllable pitch propeller powered by two General Electric LM2500 gas turbines creating 41,000 shaft horsepower (31,000 kW), giving the vessels a maximum speed of 29 knots (54 km/h; 33 mph). The frigates stow 587 t (578 long tons; 647 short tons) of fuel and have a range of 5,000 nautical miles (9,300 km; 5,800 mi) at 18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph)[4] or 4,500 nmi (8,300 km; 5,200 mi) at 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph).[1] The ships have four 1,000 kW Kato-Allison 114-DOOL diesel generator sets creating a total of 4,000 kW. These can power two 260 kW (350 shp) retractable, rotatable auxiliary propulsion motors.[4] The vessels have fin stabilisers fitted.[1]

Armament and sensors

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Frigates of the Santa María class are armed with a single-armed Mk 13 missile launcher serviced by a 40-round magazine that can handle 32 SM-1MR anti-air/ship missiles and 8 Harpoon anti-ship missiles. The Harpoon missiles have a range of 50 nmi (93 km; 58 mi) at Mach 0.9 carrying a 227-kilogram (500 lb) warhead. The SM-1R missiles have a range of 20.5 nmi (38.0 km; 23.6 mi) at Mach 2. The vessels also mount a single OTO Melara 76-millimetre (3.0 in)/62 calibre naval gun capable of firing 85 rounds per minute up to 8.7 nmi (16.1 km; 10.0 mi) with each shell carrying a 6 kg (13 lb) warhead.[1][a] For AAW defence, the ships mount a single Meroka 20 mm (0.79 in)/120 12-barrelled close-in weapons system (CIWS) capable of firing 3,600 rounds per minute up to 2 km (1.2 mi). For ASW, the frigates are armed with two triple-mounted Mark 32 torpedo tubes for Mod 5 Mark 46 torpedoes.[1]

The vessels are equipped with AN/SPS-49(V)5 2-D air search radar, RAN-12L (being replaced by RAN-30) 2-D low horizon air search radar for the Meroka CIWS, SPS-55 surface search radar and a Mk 92 fire-control radar. For ASW, the ships have SQS-56 sonar, SQR-19(V)2 towed array. For weapons fire control, they have Mk 13 weapons control, Mk 92 and SPG-60 STIR missile control, SQQ-89 ASW systems. For electronic warfare they have Nettunel Mk-3000 intercept, a SLQ-25 Nixie towed torpedo decoy, and Mk36 SROC decoy launchers.[4]

Aircraft

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As long-hulled versions of the Oliver Hazard Perry class, the Santa María-class frigates have twin hangars to accommodate up to two Sikorsky SH-60B Seahawk Light Airborne Multi-Purpose System (LAMPS) III helicopters though only one is usually embarked. The helicopter deck, located aft, is equipped with the RAST helicopter deck-handling system designed to handle LAMPS helicopters.[4]

Construction and career

[edit]
So San assault

The frigate was one of the final pair of hulls ordered on 26 December 1989.[2] The keel was laid down on 15 April 1991 by Izar (now Navantia) at Ferrol, Spain. Navarra was launched on 23 October 1992 and commissioned on 30 May 1994. Navarra was given the pennant number F85 and assigned to the 41 Escort Squadron based at Rota, Spain. The Santa Maria-class frigates were tasked with escorting the aircraft carrier Príncipe de Asturias.[4]

On 9 December 2002, Navarra intercepted the unflagged freighter So San several hundred miles southeast of Yemen at the request of the United States government, possibly associated in some fashion with the U.S. Proliferation Security Initiative. The frigate fired across So San's bow after the freighter ignored hails and attempted to evade the frigate. The freighter's crew was North Korean; 23 containers containing 15 complete Scud ballistic missiles, 15 high-explosive warheads, and 23 nitric acid containers were found on board. Yemen claimed ownership of the shipment and protested the interception and U.S. officials released the vessel after receiving assurances that the missiles would not be transferred to a third party.[5][6]

On 23 March 2010, she sank a Somali pirate mothership lifeboat and captured two skiffs,[7] after private security forces successfully defended MV Almezaan from a pirate attack.[8] The six suspected pirates were later released, when the master and crew of Almezaan refused to testify.[9]

In November 2016, while patrolling off the Libyan coast as part of the EUNAVFOR's Operation Sophia, the frigate recovered 227 migrants from inflatable boats in the Mediterranean Sea.[10]

Notes

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  1. ^ /62 refers to the length of the gun in terms of calibres. A /62 gun is 62 times long as its bore diameter.

Citations

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  1. ^ a b c d e f Saunders 2009, p. 745.
  2. ^ a b Gardiner, Chumbley & Budzbon 1995, p. 600.
  3. ^ Gardiner, Chumbley & Budzbon 1995, pp. 436, 600.
  4. ^ a b c d e f Wertheim 2013, p. 672.
  5. ^ "Scud affair draws US apology". BBC News. 12 December 2002. Retrieved 17 November 2014.
  6. ^ "U.S. lets Scud ship sail to Yemen". CNN. 12 December 2002. Retrieved 17 November 2014.
  7. ^ "La 'Navarra' intercepta dos esquifes y un barco nodriza" [The 'Navarra' intercepts two skiffs and a mother ship] (Press release) (in Spanish). Spanish MoD. 23 March 2010. Retrieved 17 November 2014.
  8. ^ "'Pirate' dies as ship's guards repel attack off Somalia". BBC News. 24 March 2010. Retrieved 24 March 2010.
  9. ^ "EU force frees Somali 'pirates'". BBC News. 25 March 2010. Retrieved 17 November 2014.
  10. ^ "Spanish Navy Frigate Rescues 227 Migrants off Libyan Coast". Latin American Herald Tribune. 26 November 2016. Archived from the original on 25 November 2016. Retrieved 26 November 2016.

References

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  • Gardiner, Robert; Chumbley, Stephen & Budzbon, Przemysław, eds. (1995). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1947–1995. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-132-7.
  • Saunders, Stephen, ed. (2009). Jane's Fighting Ships 2009–2010 (112 ed.). Alexandria, Virginia: Jane's Information Group Inc. ISBN 978-0-7106-2888-6.
  • Wertheim, Eric, ed. (2013). The Naval Institute Guide to Combat Fleets of the World (16th ed.). Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 9-7-815911-4954-5.
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