Navantia has signed a contract with the Ministry of Defense for the construction of five F-110 frigates for the Spanish Navy.
The contract was signed by the Deputy Director of Acquisitions of Weapons and Material, Alfonso Torán; by the Director of Operations and Business of Navantia, Gonzalo Mateo and by the Commercial and Business Development Director of Navantia, Sofia Honrubia. In addition, the signing, held at the headquarters of the Ministry, was attended by the Secretary of State for Defense, Angel Olivares; the Director General of the DGAM, Santiago Ramón González and the President of Navantia, Susana de Sarriá.
This new generation of F-110 frigates, whose construction will begin shortly in Ferrol, stands out for having its own Spanish design and a high degree of industrial and technological sovereignty. About 80% of purchases and supplies will be made to Spanish companies.
The design of this new frigate will incorporate remarkable technological advances such as the newly integrated mast configured with many sensors and antennas. Also included is the incorporation of a multi-space mission that expands the capabilities of the ship in all segments of defence and a new hybrid propellant plant more efficient and silent, endowing the ship with greater versatility. In addition, it will integrate unmanned vehicles onboard and will have the capacity for future installation of directed energy weapons.
The frigates will be equipped with a Spanish combat system, SCOMBA, developed by Navantia. This system acts as the vessel’s brain and integrates all the frigate’s sensors and weapons such as surface sensors, EW and IFF supplied by Indra, Band S radar and Lockheed Martin vertical launcher, AAW – SM-2 from Raytheon, the antisubmarine warfare systems and SAES sonars and the navigation and communications systems from Navantia Sistemas.
It should be noted that the frigate F-110 will be the first major Spanish naval programme developed within the framework of ASTILLERO 4.0, which will involve the most advanced integrated control and simulation systems, with the digital twin, which will be complemented by an intelligent management and communication nervous system “without cables”, which will permanently connect the crew to each other, and the crew to the ship’s systems. In addition, it will incorporate processes and components with additive fabrication or 3D printing and will be the first ships in the fleet to have an integrated cybersecurity system that shields ships against increasing threats. This makes it possible for the ship to have reduced crew for its operation and high standards of habitability.
This programme will benefit all the shipyards of Navantia with an impact on the employment of approximately 7,000 jobs annually for almost a decade, between direct and induced jobs. In addition to the workload for the Ferrol Shipyard, it will also generate activity in the Bay of Cadiz, through Navantia Sistemas with the development of the frigate’s combat system.