Frag Out! Magazine
Issue link: https://fragout.uberflip.com/i/1258433
For a few years now, a process has been going on, aimed at replacing the legacy vessels with the Meteoro-class. The Meteoro-class BAM (Buques de Acción Marítima) patrol vessels are one of the latest acquisitions of the Spanish fleet. They are a re- sult of the plan to form the FAM (Fuerza de Action Marina) component that originated in the early years of the 21st century. The vessels are tasked with the protection of Spain's interest at sea, and this involves patrolling, intervention, and acting against smuggling and trafficking. For that reason, ocean-going patrol vessels were to become the pri- mary asset of the new element, with the aforesaid mission taken into account. The initial plan was to acquire 10 patrol vessels in total that were expected to replace 12 legacy warships, four Serviola-class ves- sels, three Alboran-class vessels, and five Discubierta-class corvettes converted to the patrol role. The BAM project was also to be used to create another six vessels with a different mission profile: • three surveying ships • one submarine-rescue vessel • mine countermeasure operations command vessel • SIGINT ship Ultimately these plans, even though they can be considered ambitious have not become the reality, as for now. Solely the original, patrol ves- sels have entered service. These came in two production lots: • tween 2011 and 2012: Meteoro, Rayo, Relámpago, and Tornado • The second lot includes another two vessels: Audaz, commissioned in 2018, and Furror, commissioned in 2019. All vessels have been designed and built by Navantia at the San Fer- nando and Ferrol shipyards. Las Palmas in the Canary Islands is the primary base for the first four vessels. Two ships belonging to the sec- ond lot are stationed in Cartagena. All six of these deal with policing, commercial vessel supervision/pro- tection, rescue operations, acting against contraband and human-traf- ficking, counter-terrorist operations, and reconnaissance, including SIGINT. The vessels have a full displacement of 2,760 tonnes and they are 93.9 meters long. They feature a classic OPV (Offshore Patrol Ves- sel) design layout. The vessels also use CODOE (Combined Diesel or Electric) propulsion. It comprises two license-manufactured MTU 1163 diesel engines (power - 4,500 kW each) that use a gearbox to connect to two shafts. The diesel engines are coupled with four 660 kW MTU 12V2000G25 generators. They have been integrated with two electrici- ty generators supplying power to the systems and two electric motors, the power of which is transmitted to the shafts via a gearbox. The ra- dars include two nav-radars: Aries-S and commercial Northrop Grum- man Sperry VisionMaster FT. The warship has also been fitted with the CIT-25D IFF. Technobit ARGOS EO complements the radar sensors. Indra Rigel SIGINT suite coupled with two Mk 36 SRBOC decoy dis- pensers provides SIGINT capabilities. The vessel also has the TACAN MM-6800 solution installed, used to support the embarked helicopters. Leonardo (OTO Melara) Compatto 76/62 gun has been installed on the bow. It is coupled with the FABA Dorna 2 FCS. Two remote control 25 mm BAE Systems Mk 38 gun stations are installed within the super- structure. They are complemented with two .50-cal. M2HB machine gun stations on both sides of the bridge. Mission bays for two Zodiac Hurricane RHIBs and a hangar for a medium-sized helicopter are also a part of the ship's design. The stern is dominated by the helipad and a small working deck under and behind the helipad, with a crane. That deck also features another two machine-gun stations. The vessels of this class are currently intensely operated. They are, quite frequently, involved in NATO operations. They are tasked with providing shipping security in contested areas or with acting against drugs and human trafficking. BAM vessels are said to be successful - here, the best proof of that is seen in the unchanged plans of devel- oping further warships using the original design, but with a different mission assigned. A new submarine-crew rescue vessel is to be the first vessel like that. It would also be used for SAR purposes and pro- tection and inspection of underwater critical infrastructure (oil rigs, underwater pipelines, or communication cables). At the moment the mission is assigned to the Neptuno rescue vessel, launched in 1974 and commissioned in the Spanish Navy in 1988. The vessel is 56 years old now and needs to be replaced ASAP. To diminish the cost and ac- celerate the build process, it was decided that the BAM design could be used as a springboard in the work aimed at the procurement of a new rescue vessel. Modified BAM-IS (Buque Action Maritima – Inspección Subacuática) project is aimed at delivering a new ship in 2022, accord- ing to the schedule adopted. Because the design effort has only begun in 2019, the deadline will, most probably, be extended into the future. Survey vessels will be the second type of vessels expected to utilize the modified BAM design. Currently, three vessels of this type are in use. They have been introduced into service, starting in 1975. Unfortu- nately, the acquisition of a single vessel of this type is expected to hap- pen until 2025. Budgetary constraints may have an impact on wheth- er the Spanish fleet would receive more vessels of this class or not. The fate of further BAM-design-based vessels planned to be acquired, namely SIGINT and mine countermeasure operations command ship, is also unclear. Currently, Armada Española operates a single recon- naissance vessel, known as Alerta. The ship, launched in 1982, was a part of the East German Navy until the 1990. It was procured by Spain in 1992. Since then, it has been, uninterruptedly, used and the neces- sity to acquire a replacement is becoming increasingly more urgent. Diana vessel, one of the reconfigured Descubierta-class corvettes, has been used as a command ship in the mine countermeasure operations. However, the Navy has decommissioned this ship in 2015. No replace- ment has been acquired. Despite the relevant necessity to acquire new vessels that could be used in the roles described above, the budgetary constraints may lead to a loss of capabilities as such. Apart from the special patrol vessels, the Navy is suggesting that the budget shall be allocated to the building of a third lot of patrol vessels. These warships could replace the Discubierta-class. According to the Spanish Navy's commander, to effectively carry out the tasks assigned, Fuerza de Action Maritima would need at least another two BAM ves- sels - and this plan is a bare minimum. www.fragoutmag.com