According to a press release published on November 18, 2020, Kongsberg Maritime has secured a contract worth NOK 200 million with Spanish shipbuilder Navantia to supply propeller systems for five F110 frigates, currently in construction for the Spanish Navy. These next-generation vessels are designed to follow on from Navantia’s F100 frigate.
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Scale model of Navantia F110 frigate for the Spanish Navy. (Picture source Navantia)
Egil Haugsdal, President Kongsberg Maritime, says: “We are very pleased to be working with Navantia on this project. They are a top-rated company and experts in the naval shipbuilding arena. This order again confirms the shipbuilding industry’s recognition of KONGSBERG as the world leader of naval propulsion equipment.”
KONGSBERG is well placed to deliver propulsion systems to meet the most stringent specifications thanks to the Kongsberg Maritime Research Centre (KHRC) in Kristinehamn, Sweden, which is known worldwide for its ground-breaking work in hydrodynamics and advanced designs.
Kongsberg Maritime supplies controllable pitch propellers, fixed pitch propellers, and the innovative adjustable bolted propeller. Unlike other propulsor designers, Kongsberg Maritime has its own hydrodynamics research center, equipped with two cavitation tunnels. In over 40 years of operation, the Kongsberg Maritime center has tested around 1,400 propellers and waterjet pumps to perfect and prove the design. Kongsberg Maritime propellers deliver good fuel economy, low vibration and noise levels, and minimal cavitation.
The F110 class also known as the Bonifaz class is a multi-purpose, anti-submarine class of Aegis combat system-fitted heavy frigates under development for the Spanish Navy. The project is being co-developed by the Spanish Ministry of Defence and the state-owned company Navantia. The construction of the frigates is to begin by 2020 and are scheduled to be delivered between 2023 and 2027. The Spanish Navy’s F-110 Frigate, being manufactured by Navantia, aims to replace the country’s six Santa Maria-class ships as they approach the end of their operational life from 2020.
Citing Naval-Technology website, The F110-class frigate will feature an advanced design with a high degree of automation. It will have a length of 145m, a beam of 18m and a draft of 5m. The displacement of the vessel will be 6,100t while the frigate will be manned by 150 crew members. The ship will be armed with 16-cell Mk-41 Baseline VII vertical launch system able to launch RIM-162 Evolved SeaSparrow air defense Missile (ESSM) Block 2 as well as SAM Standard SM-2MR missiles. The frigate will be armed with RGM-84 Harpoon anti-ship missiles, a Leonardo 127/64 LW Vulcano 5in/64 naval gun, and two Mk-32 Mod torpedo tubes.
The F110 frigate will be by two GE LM-2500 gas turbine electric motors, four MTU 4000 diesel engines, and four 3MW diesel encapsulated generators. She can reach a top speed of >25 knots (46 km/h; 29 mph) and a maximum cruising range of 4,100nm at 15k.
