Spanish frigate Reina Sofía

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Reina Sofía on 2 June 2017
History
Spain
NameReina Sofía
NamesakeQueen Sofía of Spain
BuilderBazan
Laid down12 October 1987
Launched19 July 1989
Commissioned30 October 1990
HomeportRota
Identification
Statusin active service
General characteristics
Class and typeSanta María-class frigate
Displacement3,160 t (3,110 long tons) standard
Length138.8 m (455 ft 5 in)
Beam14.3 m (46 ft 11 in)
Draught6.6 m (21 ft 8 in) max
Propulsion
Speed29 knots (54 km/h; 33 mph)
Complement223
Sensors and
processing systems
  • Radar: AN/SPS-49(V)4 2-D air search ((V)5 in F-85 & F-86), RAN-12L (being replaced by RAN-30) 2-D low horizon air search radar for Meroka, SPS-55 surface search radar, Mk 92 fire control system,
  • Sonar: SQS-56, SQR-19(V) Towed Array (-19(V)2 in F-85 & F-86),
  • Fire control: Mk 13 weapons control, Mk 92 and SPG-60 STIR missile control, SQQ-89 ASW
Electronic warfare
& decoys		Nettunel (F-85 & F-86: Mk-3000) intercept, SLQ-25 Nixie, Mk36 SROC decoy launchers
Armament
Aircraft carried2 × Sikorsky SH-60B Seahawk LAMPS III helicopters

Reina Sofía (F84) is the fourth of six Spanish-built Santa María-class frigates of the Spanish Navy. The Santa María class is based on the American Oliver Hazard Perry-class design, providing an anti-air warfare platform with anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare capabilities at a reduced cost. Reina Sofía was constructed by Bazan and was laid down on 12 October 1987 and launched on 19 July 1989. The ship was commissioned in 1990 and has seen service in the Mediterranean Sea and off Somalia.

Design and description[edit]

Reina Sofía on 1 February 1992

The Santa María class are a series of six guided missile frigates based on the American Oliver Hazard Perry class.[1] The Oliver Hazard Perry class had been conceived as a way to reduce unit costs while maintaining an anti-air warfare (AAW) platform with anti-submarine (ASW) and anti-surface warfare capabilities.[2] The Oliver Hazard Perry class came in two forms, the short-hulled and long-hulled, with the Santa María class being of the later with additional beam to allow for more top weight for future modifications.[3] The class came in two batches, with the first four being of batch one and the final two of the second. The first batch of ships have a displacement of 2,851 tonnes (2,806 long tons) light, 3,160 t (3,110 long tons) standard and 4,017 t (3,954 long tons) at full load. The second batch have the same light and standard displacements, with a full load displacement of 4,107 t (4,042 long tons). The frigates measure 138.8 metres (455 ft 5 in) long overall and 125.9 m (413 ft 1 in) at the waterline with a beam of 14.3 m (46 ft 11 in) and a standard draught of 4.52 m (14 ft 10 in) and a maximum draught at the sonar dome of 6.6 m (21 ft 8 in).[4] The ships have a complement of 223 sailors including 13 officers.[1]

The Santa María class is propelled by a controllable pitch propeller powered by two General Electric LM2500 gas turbines creating 41,000 shaft horsepower (31,000 kW), giving the vessels a maximum speed of 29 knots (54 km/h; 33 mph). The frigates stow 587 t (578 long tons; 647 short tons) of fuel and have a range of 5,000 nautical miles (9,300 km; 5,800 mi) at 18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph)[4] or 4,500 nmi (8,300 km; 5,200 mi) at 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph).[1] The ships have four 1,000 kW Kato-Allison 114-DOOL diesel generator sets creating a total of 4,000 kW. These can power two 260 kW (350 shp) retractable, rotatable auxiliary propulsion motors.[4] The vessels have fin stabilisers fitted.[1]

Armament and sensors[edit]

Frigates of the Santa María class are armed with a single-armed Mk 13 missile launcher serviced by a 40-round magazine that can handle 32 SM-1MR anti-air/ship missiles and 8 Harpoon anti-ship missiles. The Harpoon missiles have a range of 50 nmi (93 km; 58 mi) at Mach 0.9 carrying a 227-kilogram (500 lb) warhead. The SM-1R missiles have a range of 20.5 nmi (38.0 km; 23.6 mi) at Mach 2. The vessels also mount a single OTO Melara 76-millimetre (3.0 in)/62 calibre naval gun capable of firing 85 rounds per minute up to 8.7 nmi (16.1 km; 10.0 mi) with each shell carrying a 6 kg (13 lb) warhead.[1][a] For AAW defence, the ships mount a single Meroka 20 mm (0.79 in)/120 12-barrelled close-in weapons system (CIWS) capable of firing 3,600 rounds per minute up to 2 km (1.2 mi). For ASW, the frigates are armed with two triple-mounted Mark 32 torpedo tubes for Mod 5 Mark 46 torpedoes.[1]

The vessels are equipped with AN/SPS-49(V)5 2-D air search radar, RAN-12L (being replaced by RAN-30) 2-D low horizon air search radar for the Meroka CIWS, SPS-55 surface search radar and a Mk 92 fire-control radar. For ASW, the ships have SQS-56 sonar, SQR-19(V)2 towed array. For weapons fire control, they have Mk 13 weapons control, Mk 92 and SPG-60 STIR missile control, SQQ-89 ASW systems. For electronic warfare they have Nettunel Mk-3000 intercept, a SLQ-25 Nixie towed torpedo decoy, and Mk36 SROC decoy launchers.[4]

Aircraft[edit]

As long-hulled versions of the Oliver Hazard Perry class, the Santa María-class frigates have twin hangars to accommodate up to two Sikorsky SH-60B Seahawk Light Airborne Multi-Purpose System (LAMPS) III helicopters though only one is usually embarked. The helicopter deck, located aft, is equipped with the RAST helicopter deck-handling system designed to handle LAMPS helicopters.[4]

Construction and career[edit]

Reina Sofía off the coast of Somalia, in 2021

After delays in the program caused by the construction of the aircraft carrier Príncipe de Asturias, construction of Reina Sofía was approved in 1985 and the ship was ordered on 19 June 1986. Laid down on 12 October 1987 by Bazan at Ferrol, Spain, the frigate was launched on 19 July 1989. The vessel was intended to be named America but was renamed Reina Sofía, after Queen Sofía of Spain.[5][6] The ship was commissioned on 18 October 1990.[5]

On the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar in 2005 Reina Sofía participated in a procession alongside the French frigate Montcalm and HMS Chatham at the site of the battle.[7]

In 2016, the ship participated in migrant rescue operations in the Mediterranean Sea.[8][9] Reina Sofía also participated in training missions in the Mediterranean with the Egyptian Navy.[10] In May 2023 Reina Sofía was deployed off the coast of East Africa in order to evacuate civilians after an escalation in violence in Sudan.[11] The frigate evacuated 162 civilians of different nationalities from within the European Union from Sudan to Saudi Arabia.[12]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ /62 refers to the length of the gun in terms of calibres. A /62 gun is 62 times long as its bore diameter.

Citations[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e f Saunders 2009, p. 745.
  2. ^ Gardiner, Chumbley & Budzbon 1995, p. 600.
  3. ^ Gardiner, Chumbley & Budzbon 1995, pp. 436, 600.
  4. ^ a b c d e Wertheim 2013, p. 672.
  5. ^ a b Gardiner, Chumbley & Budzbon 1995, p. 436.
  6. ^ "Spanish Navy Frigate Welcomes Her Majesty Queen Sofía Onboard". Naval Today. 27 November 2014. Retrieved 13 June 2023.
  7. ^ "With queen at helm, British mark Trafalgar battle in 1805". Gainesville Sun. 22 October 2005. p. 9A. Retrieved 20 January 2022.
  8. ^ "The Spanish frigate Reina Sofia hands over her duties to the Spanish Navarra". Eunavfor Med operation Sophia. 26 September 2016. Archived from the original on 11 January 2021. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
  9. ^ "More Than 4,000 Migrants Rescued in a Single Day in Mediterranean". NBC News. Retrieved 20 January 2022.
  10. ^ "Egyptian, Spanish forces conduct naval training in Mediterranean". EgyptToday. 10 October 2020. Retrieved 20 January 2022.
  11. ^ "Spain sends a frigate to Sudan to evacuate European civilians". West Observer. 5 May 2023. Retrieved 13 June 2023.
  12. ^ "Sudan updates: UN advises against returns amid bloodshed". Deutsche Welle. 5 May 2023. Retrieved 13 June 2023.

References[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to SPS Reina Sofía (F84).
  • Gardiner, Robert; Chumbley, Stephen & Budzbon, Przemysław, eds. (1995). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1947–1995. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-132-7.
  • Saunders, Stephen, ed. (2009). Jane's Fighting Ships 2009–2010 (112 ed.). Alexandria, Virginia: Jane's Information Group Inc. ISBN 978-0-7106-2888-6.
  • Wertheim, Eric, ed. (2013). The Naval Institute Guide to Combat Fleets of the World (16th ed.). Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 9-7-815911-4954-5.
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