Work on new Spanish frigates poised to start next March

The F-110 frigates are intended to replace the Spanish Navy's six F-80 Santa Maria-class frigates, which were built between 1986 and 1994. (Navantia)

Work on the first blocks of the five F-110 multipurpose frigates for the Spanish Navy will start in March 2022, Navantia announced on 21 September.

Speaking at the opening of a Naval Sector Centre of Excellence (CESENA) in Ferrol, the company's president, Ricardo Domínguez, said the beginning of construction would also act as “the lever for the digital transformation” of Navantia's shipyards in the same city.

“Navantia is bidding to contribute to government strategy, leading and accelerating the transformation of the naval sector, using as levers sustainability, energy transformation, and digitalisation to generate a noticeable impact on GDP and quality employment,” he said.

Investing in a new plant for the manufacturing of blocks for the ships represented “a key investment for the digitalisation of the shipyard”, he added. “Initiatives like [the CESENA centre] will enable Spain to continue being a benchmark in naval construction in the coming years.”

The Spanish cabinet gave the final go-ahead for the building of the five frigates at a cost of EUR4.31 billion (USD5.05 billion) in March 2019. They will have a displacement of 6,100 tonnes, a length of 145 m, and a speed of 35 kt.