According to information published by the US DoD on May 8, 2023, Spanish Navy Álvaro de Bazán-class frigate ESPS Blas de Lezo (F103) fired a Harpoon missile during a scenario involving a coordinated attack with a maritime patrol aircraft to counter a surface target in support of exercise Formidable Shield 2023 in the Norwegian Sea.
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Álvaro de Bazán-class frigate ESPS Blas de Lezo firing Harpoon missile. (Picture source: US DoD)
The Álvaro de Bazán-class frigate, a class of Spanish-built warships, stands out with its notable displacement ranging between 5,800 and 6,391 tonnes. These robust vessels stretch 146.7 meters in length and have a beam of 18.6 meters, with a draft of 4.75 meters.
Under the hood, they are powered by a combined diesel or gas (CODOG) propulsion system, including two General Electric LM2500 gas turbines and two Navantia Caterpillar 3600 diesel engines.
This potent combination allows these frigates to reach speeds of up to 28.5 knots, and they have a range of 4,500 nautical miles while cruising at 18 knots.
The Álvaro de Bazán-class frigates house a crew complement of 250, including 48 officers. Their advanced sensors and processing systems encompass Lockheed Martin AN/SPY-1D 3-D multifunction radar, Raytheon SPS-67(V)4 surface search radar, and Raytheon DE1160 LF active and passive sonar, among other state-of-the-art technologies.
For electronic warfare and decoy purposes, these vessels are equipped with four FMC SRBOC Mk36 flare launchers, SLQ-25A Enhanced Nixie torpedo countermeasures, and the Indra SLQ-380 EW suite. They also feature the Indra Mk 9500 interceptor.
In terms of armament, the Álvaro de Bazán-class frigates pack a punch with a 5-inch/54 Mk45 Mod 2 gun, a 48 cell Mk 41 vertical launch system, and a host of missiles including the Standard SM-2MR Block IIIA and the RIM-162 Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile.
For anti-ship operations, they carry eight McDonnell Douglas RGM-84 Harpoon missiles. Moreover, they are fitted with four 324mm Mk32 Mod 9 double Torpedo launchers housing 12 Honeywell Mk46 mod 5 Torpedoes.
