Monday 1 October 2018

PHOTO GALLERY #23: Álvaro de Bazán, frigate of the Spanish Navy

Álvaro de Bazán, frigate of the Spanish Navy

This is the sixth photo gallery (see previous posts) from my visit to Kiel, on the first weekend of the 136th Kiel Week. The Kiel Week (German: Kieler Woche) or Kiel Regatta is an annual sailing event in Kiel, the capital of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. The first weekend of the Kiel Week, the famous Naval Base of Kiel, opens its gates for just four hours per day, for thousands of tourists who are eager to visit the German Navy warships and dozens of foreign warships which visit the city of Kiel, to honor the Kiel Week. Τhe Spanish Navy was represented by the F101 Álvaro de Bazán, the lead ship of the Álvaro de Bazán class frigates, which was commissioned in September of 2002. The Álvaro de Bazán class (also known as the F100 class of frigates) is a modern class of Aegis combat system-equipped air defence frigates that entered service with the Spanish Navy the period 2002-2012. They were built in the Spanish factory of Navantia in Ferrol and are named after famous Admiral Álvaro de Bazán. The F100 design is the basis for the new Hobart-class destroyers of the Royal Australian Navy of which the two of the three ordered, are already in service with the Navy. Furthermore, in February of 2018, it was announced that a design based the class was selected as one of five finalists for the U.S. Navy’s FFG(X) program. The ships of the class thanks to their Aegis naval weapons system can track hundreds of airborne targets simultaneously and subsequently to guide dozens of anti-aircraft missiles they carry. Τhe usual load of anti-aircraft missiles is 32 SM-2MR and 64 ESSM in 48-cell Mk41 VLS. The rest of the armament consists of a 5-inch/54 Mk45 Mod 2 gun, two quadruple Harpoon anti-ship missile launchers, four 324 mm Mk32 Mod 9 twin torpedo launchers, two 20mm guns (additionally two Mk38 25mm guns on the last ship of the class), a variety of machine guns, while there is provision for one Meroka CIWS. Enjoy my photos from my visit aboard the mighty and state-of-the-art ESPS Álvaro de Bazán, the pride of the Spanish Navy!

Álvaro de Bazán with ships os SNMG1
Álvaro de Bazán with ships of SNMG1
Álvaro de Bazán with ships of SNMG1

Harpoon launchers amidships
Álvaro de Bazán. Note the mast of Gediz
Frigate Álvaro de Bazán alongside Turkish frigate Gediz
Frigate Álvaro de Bazán alongside Turkish frigate Gediz
Frigate Álvaro de Bazán alongside Turkish frigate Gediz. Note the portholes for the Nixie system
The flight deck of the Spanish frigate
The bridge of the Spanish frigate
Mount for 12.7mm heavy machine gun

Mk41 8-cell module

48-cell Mk41 VLS

48-cell Mk41 VLS and the bridge of the frigate with the cranes for reloading the VLS
Mk45 gun forward of VLS
Mk45 gun forward of VLS
Mk45 5in gun system

Details of the cannon


Rear view of the Mk45 5in gun turret


Port-side Oerlikon 20mm/120cal anti-aircraft gun
The Mk41 VLS as seen from the bridge
VLS and gun as seen from the bridge


Details of the superstructure

One of the AN/SPY-1D antennas

The heli-deck of the ship

The heli-deck of the ship

Helicopter hangar, SATCOM and radars
Álvaro de Bazán, F100 class frigate of the Spanish Navy
Álvaro de Bazán with ships of SNMG1
Álvaro de Bazán leaving Kiel

Álvaro de Bazán leaving Kiel

Álvaro de Bazán leaving Kiel
Álvaro de Bazán leaving Kiel. At the right the impressive Laboe Naval Memorial

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