Frag Out! Magazine

Frag Out! Magazine #29

Frag Out! Magazine

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around armament, sensors and the command system would also be assigned to other businesses owned by Navantia. The design process and the works on the actual vessels are going to involve more than 7,000 employees, with the F-110 program guaranteeing their jobs to be relevant for another decade. The current plan assumes that the build process, with regards to the first new vessel referred to as Boni- faz, would begin in 2022. The warship is expected to be commissioned in 2025. The first F-80 frigate, meanwhile, is to be decommissioned in 2025. And the F-110 vessels are, as mentioned earlier, to replace the F-80s. Further vessels are to be named Roger de Lauria, Menéndez de Avilés, Luis de Córdova, and Barceló, with the last one scheduled to be commissioned in 2031. Álvaro de Bazán-class: Modernization Álvaro de Bazán-class anti-aircraft frigates arethe core of the Armada Española's firepower, especially in the air defense domain. Five vessels as such are responsible for the provision of air defense for maritime groups around the Juan Carlos I and two landing ships/docks - Gali- cia and Castilla. All five vessels of this class have the Aegis system coupled with the AN/SPY-1 phased array radar and 48-container Mk 41 VLS accommodating the primary armament: ESSM Block I and SM-2MR Block IIIA Standard SAMs. As the warships are gradually ap- proaching their mid-life point, an MLU upgrade is expected. The scale of the effort that is to be undertaken very much depends on the budget of the MoD. So, currently, one may only list the systems that are desired to be replaced or upgraded. Replacement of the AN/SPY-1 with the AN/SPY-7 (also to be fitted on the F-110s) is the most import- ant element of the expected upgrade. The new radar would offer great- er capabilities in the area of detecting aircraft and ballistic threats. CEC (Cooperative Engagement Capability) data exchange system would be another element enhancing the warship's ability to act against the airborne threats, as it would make it possible to integrate all vessels fitted with that system into a single air-defense organism. CEC is a sys- tem that integrates all sensors and effectors available on networked vessels, within the framework of a single battle management network. This, on the other hand, makes it possible to flexibly manage the radars and missiles, regardless of which vessel carries the given asset. This means that Launch on Remote mode can be used, in which the missile carrier is unable to use its fire control radar on launch. Engage on Re- mote mode is also available - here, the whole guidance process is done by the radar of another vessel. The modernization is also to cover the SCOMBA F-100 combat management system. It is expected to be up- graded to the Baseline S2 variant. It has already been implemented on Cristóbal Colón, the last vessel of the class. The unification of artillery assets with the F-110 platform is another expected area of upgrades. The change would see the Mk 45 Mod 2 gun replaced with the 127/64 LW system. 20 mm Oerlikon Tipo 5TG cannons would also be replaced, with the remotely controlled Sentinel 30 systems. Furthermore, the currently operated arsenal of the SM-2MR Block IIIA and ESSM Block I missiles would be complemented with the newer variants with active seekers - SM-2MR Block IIIC and ESSM Block II. SM-6 and SM-3 have also been placed on the wish-list by the Spanish Navy. Given the high unit price, the procurement of those effectors is rather not going to happen. Although the Spanish Navy openly claims that there is a necessity to modernize the most valuable of its assets, the scope of the upgrades and the date when they would commence depend primarily on the budgetary assets available in the defense budget. Over the upcoming years, these funds would be primarily allocated to programs that are to result in the introduction of new vessels and submarines into service. Given that, it may be expected that the scale of modernization could be very much limited. NAVY

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