The Spanish shipbuilding company Navantia held a ceremony at its El Ferrol shipyard on September 11, 2025, to officially launch the lead frigate F 111 Bonifaz of the F-110 series for the Spanish Navy. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and Queen Sofia of Spain were present at the event, which reaffirmed the strategic importance of this initiative in the modernization of Spain’s naval forces.
Origins and Development of the F-110 Project
The F-111 Bonifaz frigate project was initiated over twenty years ago to replace Spain’s antiquated fleet of six Oliver H. Perry-class frigates, which are locally referred to as the Santa Maria class. The first steel cutting for Bonifaz occurred on April 6, 2022, and the official keel-laying ceremony was conducted on August 9, 2023. The ship was approximately 70% technically complete at the time of launch, and its delivery target was set for 2028.
The F2M2 Program and Industrial Partnerships
Starting in the early 2000s, the F-110 project, also known as F2M2, was developed under the leadership of Navantia with the objective of building large, multi-role frigates that would incorporate sophisticated technologies to address new maritime threats.
In 2015, Navantia established the Protec 110 consortium in collaboration with the Spanish electronics company Indra to execute the intricate system design. Later that year, this consortium was awarded a substantial contract by the Spanish Ministry of Defense for technical design. Navantia was awarded a €4.325 billion contract in March 2019 to construct five F-110 frigates at the El Ferrol facility. The completion horizon is set to extend to 2031.
Digital Twin Innovation
The establishment of a “digital twin” for each frigate is one of the most significant innovations of this shipbuilding program. This high-fidelity digital model enables the detailed simulation and optimization of operational and manufacturing performance, a revolutionary approach for vessels of this magnitude in Spain and Europe.
Construction Timeline and Future Ships
The fleet’s building has progressed: the second ship, F 112 Roger de Lairia, underwent steel cutting on December 16, 2023, and keel laying on April 25, 2025. Delivery is anticipated in 2029.
The commissioning of the remaining three ships—F 113 Menéndez de Avilés (steel cutting April 25, 2025), F 114 Luis de Córdova, and F 115 Barceló—is tentatively scheduled for 2030 to 2032. Spain announced its intention to augment its defense expenditures in September 2023, which included the acquisition of two additional modified F-110 frigates.
Honoring Naval History: The Name Bonifaz
The lead ship, Bonifaz, is named in honor of Ramón Bonifaz, the 13th-century founder of the Castilian Royal Navy and its first admiral. Bonifaz is a prominent figure in Spanish naval history, having recaptured Seville from the Moors in 1247-1248.
Size, Propulsion, and Performance
The F-110 frigates are big vessels that have a standard displacement of approximately 6,100 tons. They are 145 meters in length and 18 meters in beam.
Their propulsion system is highly sophisticated, incorporating diesel, gas turbine, and electric generators in a CODELADOG configuration. This comprises two electric motors that operate tandem shafts with controllable-pitch propellers, four MTU 4000 diesel generators, and one General Electric LM2500 gas turbine generator. Furthermore, four distinct diesel generators power the ship’s electrical systems.
The frigate is capable of reaching a maximum speed of 35 knots and has an operational range of 4,100 nautical miles at a speed of 15 knots. There is room for an additional 37 personnel in addition to the 150-person crew.
Weapons and Combat Systems
The weaponry is centered on the Lockheed Martin AEGIS combat system, which is manufactured in the United States and is integrated with the new AN/SPY-7(V)2 radar.
The sixteen-cell vertical launching systems Mk 41 aboard the ships are capable of launching a diverse array of missiles, such as Raytheon’s RIM-66M-2 SM-2MR Standard Block IIIA and the RIM-162 ESSM Block 2 missiles (which can be deployed four per cell). The Norwegian Kongsberg NSM anti-ship missiles are packed in eight launchers to enhance their offensive capabilities.
A Leonardo 127/64 LW 127 mm/64 caliber rapid-fire cannon, a state-of-the-art Escribano Sentinel 25 RFG five-barrel 25mm close-in weapon system for air defense, two remote-controlled 30mm Escribano Sentinel 30 cannons, and four remote-operated 12.7mm Escribano Sentinel 2.0 machine guns are utilized to provide naval gunfire. Two twin 324mm Mk 32 Mod 9 torpedo tubes that fire Mk 54 lightweight warheads are included in anti-submarine warfare sensors.
Aviation and Modular Capabilities
The hangar is equipped to house two helicopters of the NH-90 NFH/TTH or Sikorsky MH-60R types and also provides space for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). This modular approach to aviation assets expands the ship’s capabilities in maritime reconnaissance and attack.
Advanced Electronic Warfare and Sensors
The electronic warfare suite, which was predominantly developed by Navantia and Indra, is both modern and comprehensive.
It is equipped with the Navantia SCOMBA combat system and several advanced Indra subsystems, including the IRST i110 electro-optical and infrared surveillance system, the Rigel i110 and Regulus i110 radio and electronic intelligence stations, and the Prisma-25X radar with fixed-array active electronically scanned arrays (AESA) for surface target detection.
The BlueScan underwater environment processing suite from Thales, a hull-mounted Thales UMS-4110 BlueMaster sonar, and a towed-array Thales CAPTAS 4 sonar are combined to enhance anti-submarine capabilities, allowing for the long-range detection and tracking of submarines.
Russian Analysis of the F-110 Program
According to Russian sources, Spain’s F-110 program is a prime example of a new generation of European naval surface combatants that integrate American combat system technology with European ship design and propulsion innovations.
The emphasis on digital engineering and integrated systems is recognized by Russia’s naval experts as indicative of Western advancements in combat shipbuilding. In Russian naval analysis, the hybrid CODELADOG propulsion system is seen as a trend that improves the flexibility and fuel efficiency of modern frigates, allowing them to move quickly and stay on patrol for a long time.
Strategic Role in NATO and Beyond
Additionally, the F-110 series’ multi-layered defensive systems and modular armament payloads enable Spain’s naval forces to effectively combat modern multi-domain maritime threats, such as anti-ship missiles, submarines, and aerial threats, in accordance with NATO interoperability standards.
The AN/SPY-7(V)2 radar, which is a component of the recently developed AEGIS Baseline 10 system, is regarded as evidence of Spain’s profound integration into the US-led naval defense ecosystem. It has the potential for dual use in ballistic missile defense.
Spain’s strategic outlook predicts that the F-110 frigates will be instrumental in the escorting of critical shipping channels, the projection of power in the Mediterranean and Atlantic, and the collaborative operation within European and NATO maritime groups.
Conclusion
In summary, the F-110 frigates of Navantia are a major step in the construction of Spanish naval vessels, as they blend the sophisticated naval technology of the 21st century with the historic maritime tradition of Spain. Spain’s transition to a modern, capable maritime force capable of meeting a diverse range of operational demands will be marked by the phased implementation of these capabilities from 2028 to the early 2030s.