Spanish frigate Numancia

Numancia (F83) is the third of the six Spanish-built Santa Maria-class frigates of the Spanish Navy, based on the American Oliver Hazard Perry class design. The frigate was constructed in Spain by Bazan and laid down on 8 January 1986; launched on 29 January 1987; and entered service with the Spanish Navy on 17 November 1989. Based at Rota, Numancia has been deployed to the Indian Ocean to fight piracy in Somalia as part of Operation Atalanta and to the Mediterranean Sea to intercept illegal trafficking of migrants as part of Operation Sophia.

Numancia
History
Spain
Name	Numancia
Builder	Bazan
Laid down	8 January 1986
Launched	29 January 1987
Commissioned	17 November 1989
Homeport	Rota, Cádiz
Identification	MMSI number: 224964000 Callsign: EBFN Pennant number: F83
Status	in active service
General characteristics
Class and type	Santa Maria-class frigate
Displacement	3,160 t (3,110 long tons) standard
Length	138.8 m (455 ft 5 in)
Beam	14.3 m (46 ft 11 in)
Draught	6.6 m (21 ft 8 in) max
Propulsion	2 × General Electric LM2500-30 gas turbines generating 41,000 shp (31 MW) through a single shaft and variable pitch propeller 2 × Auxiliary Propulsion Units, 350 hp (260 kW) retractable electric azimuth thrusters for maneuvering and docking.
Speed	29 knots (54 km/h; 33 mph)
Complement	223
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	1 × single-arm Mk 13 Missile Launcher with a 40-round magazine that can handle 32 SM-1MR anti-air/ship missiles and 8 Harpoon anti-ship missiles 2 × triple Mark 32 ASW torpedo tubes with Mark 46 Mod 5 anti-submarine torpedoes 1 × OTO Melara 76 mm/62 cal. naval gun 1 × 20 mm Meroka 12-barrel CIWS system
Aircraft carried	2 × Sikorsky SH-60B Seahawk LAMPS III helicopters

Design and description

The Santa María class is 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: short-hulled and long-hulled, with the Santa María class being the later, with an additional beam to allow for more top weight for future modifications.^[3] The class came in two batches, with the first four being from batch one and the final two from batch two. The first batch of ships had 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 has 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 propller 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

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)4 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 and SQR-19(V) towed arrays. For weapons fire control, they have Mk 13 weapons control, Mk 92 and SPG-60 STIR missile control, and SQQ-89 ASW systems. For electronic warfare they have a Nettunel intercept, a SLQ-25 Nixie towed torpedo decoy, and Mk36 SROC decoy launchers.^[4]

Aircraft

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

The frigate was ordered on 29 June 1977. The ship was laid down on 8 January 1986, at Izar's shipyard in Ferrol, Spain.^[1] Delays in construction followed as the Spanish Navy deferred the frigate's construction in order to focus on the construction of a new aircraft carrier.^[5] Numancia was launched on 29 January 1987, and commissioned into service on 17 November 1989.^[1] The vessel is homeported at Rota, Spain, as part of the 41st Escort Squadron.^[4]

On 27 April 2009, Numancia seized the nine Somali pirates that tried to board the cruise ship MSC Melody after a short chase.^[6] From March to August 2013, Numancia deployed to the Indian Ocean as part of Operation Atalanta.^[7] In 2016, the frigate was deployed as part of Operation Sophia, intercepting the illegal trafficking of migrants in the Mediterranean Sea.^[8] In 2022, Numancia returned to the Indian Ocean, escorting food relief ships through the area as part of Operation Atalanta.^[9]

Notes

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

1. Saunders 2009, p. 745.
2. Gardiner, Chumbley & Budzbon 1995, p. 600.
3. Gardiner, Chumbley & Budzbon 1995, pp. 436, 600.
4. Wertheim 2013, p. 672.
5. Gardiner, Chumbley & Budzbon 1995, p. 436.
6. "La fragata española 'Numancia' apresa a 9 piratas somalíes acusados de atacar un crucero italiano" [The Spanish frigate 'Numancia' apprehends 9 Somali pirates accused of attacking an Italian cruise ship] (in Spanish). rtve.es. 27 April 2009. Retrieved 17 November 2014.
7. "Spanish Frigate Numancia Returns Home". Naval Today. 26 August 2013. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
8. "La fragata Numancia vuelve a Rota tras cuatro meses en la operación Sophia" [The frigate Numancia returns to Rota after four months in Operation Sophia]. El Correo de Andalucía (in Spanish). 28 May 2016. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
9. "La fragata "Numancia" regresa a la Base Naval de Rota tras cinco mese como buque insignia en la Operación Atalanta" [The frigate "Numancia" returns to the Rota Naval Base after five months as flagship in Operation Atalanta]. Defensa.com (in Spanish). 26 November 2022. Retrieved 30 March 2023.

References

• 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.