Álvaro de Bazán-class (F100)

Summary

Description

The Álvaro de Bazán class frigates, otherwise known as the F100 class, are advanced Spanish air defense frigates equipped with the Aegis combat system. Built by Navantia in Ferrol, Spain, these multi-role frigates are named after the notable Spanish Admiral Álvaro de Bazán. The Álvaro de Bazán class is among the limited number of non-US warships to be outfitted with the high-caliber Aegis system and SPY-1D radar, joining vessels such as the American Arleigh Burke class, the Japanese Kongo class, the Korean Sejong the Great class, the Australian Hobart class, and the Norwegian Fridtjof Nansen class.

In terms of design and construction, the frigates are notable for being the first modern Spanish Navy vessels to integrate ballistic-resistant steel into the hull, enhancing their survival capabilities. To minimize detectability by submarines, their power plants are installed on anti-vibration mounts, significantly reducing noise emission. Financially, the initial contract was priced at €1.683 billion, but the total expenditure exceeded this, reaching €1.81 billion. By 2010, the cost estimation for the final vessel of the class, named F-105, was approximately €834 million, equivalent to roughly US$1.1 billion at that time.

Six ships were initially projected for the Álvaro de Bazán class, but cuts in the Spanish defense budget led to the cancellation of two planned vessels. Eventually, a total of five frigates were constructed, with the last ship, Cristóbal Colón (F105), displaying improvements over her sister ships.

The Álvaro de Bazán class has inspired international variants, most notably the Hobart-class destroyers of the Australian Navy. In partnership with Navantia, the Australian government constructed three ships based on the F100 design, with the first ship, HMAS Hobart, being commissioned in 2017 rather than the anticipated 2014. By 2020, all three Hobart-class destroyers were operational. Furthermore, the design also influenced the Royal Norwegian Navy's Fridtjof Nansen-class frigates. Five such frigates were built by Navantia between 2003 and 2009, with four remaining in service as of 2023.

Technical specifications