Anti-aircraft firepower increased by 4 times! Spain develops new frigate, planned to be equipped with 64 vertical launch units

Modern surface ships need to face multiple threats such as fighters, anti-ship missiles and ballistic missiles. According to the military news website Army Recognition, the Spanish Navy and shipbuilding company Navantia are developing the second batch of F110 "Integrated Air and Missile Defense" (IAMD) frigates. They plan to significantly increase the vertical launch units from the existing 16 to 64 units, and upgrade radars and combat systems to strengthen the fleet's air defense and anti-ballistic missile capabilities.

F110 is also known as the "Bonifaz" class frigate. Spain spent 4.317 billion euros in 2019 to purchase 5 ships from Navantia. They mainly perform anti-submarine missions and are still under construction. The newly proposed second batch of designs focuses on air defense operations. The hull displacement is expected to increase from 6,100 tons to about 6,700 tons. Subsequent design goals are likely to be increased to 7,000 tons, and the ship's length will also be extended to about 150 meters.

It is worth noting that the new ship is planned to be equipped with 64 Mk 41 vertical launch units, which is not only four times the number of the first batch of F110, but also exceeds the 48 units of Spain’s current F100 Aegis frigate. Since the "Evolved Sea Sparrow" (ESSM) anti-aircraft missiles can be carried in quadruple packages, the actual number of missiles can exceed 64, providing a more sufficient inventory of anti-aircraft ammunition.

In terms of detection capabilities, the second batch of F110 frigates will expand the AN/SPY-7 active electronically scanned array radar. The number of sub-arrays on a single radar surface will be increased from 68 to 100 groups, and the new generation SCOMBA combat system will be integrated to improve multi-target tracking and the ability to coordinate with NATO allied ships. However, to truly intercept ballistic missiles, compatible interceptor weapons must be integrated and fire control certification must be completed.

According to Spain's "2050 Naval Modernization Strategy", two more new F110 frigates may be built in the future, increasing the number of full-class ships to seven. Navantia expects to complete the design in 2027. If the construction contract is successfully obtained, the first ship can be put into service as early as 2032 to 2033. However, the project is still in the planning stage and the procurement has not yet been officially approved.