Spain puts all of its Aegis frigates to sea at once

The Spanish Navy has deployed all five of its F-100 Alvaro de Bazan-class frigates simultaneously in what it described as a rare operational and logistical milestone for the Armada.

In a statement issued on 6 February, the Spanish Navy said the entire class of more than 6,000-ton escort frigates is currently operating at sea across multiple national and international theatres, including NATO missions and allied naval task groups.

The Armada said maintaining all five ships on deployment at the same time represents a significant planning, maintenance and supply challenge, particularly for the Ferrol Naval Base, which supports much of the class’s upkeep. The Navy said the effort requires close coordination between ship crews, shore-based support structures and the industrial supply chain to sustain readiness for a class that has been in service for more than two decades. The statement comes as Spain advances its F-100 Mid-Life Modernisation Programme, with the Armada noting that a contract for the upgrade effort was signed in December 2025. The programme is valued at €3.2 billion and is planned to run through to 2036, including work to mitigate obsolescence and modernise both platform and combat systems, including the Aegis system.

The Armada said the F-100 class, built in Ferrol, was the first in Europe to incorporate the Aegis combat system and remains among the continent’s most capable air defence escort vessels. It cited repeated participation in live-fire missile exercises such as Formidable Shield, regular integration into NATO Standing Naval Groups, and deployments to strategically important maritime theatres. According to the Spanish Navy, each frigate is currently assigned to a separate high-profile mission.

The frigate Álvaro de Bazán (F-101) is integrated into the French aircraft carrier strike group centred on Charles de Gaulle and is taking part in the Orion 26 exercise. The frigate Almirante Juan de Borbón (F-102) is serving as flagship of NATO’s Standing Naval Maritime Group One (SNMG1), while Blas de Lezo (F-103) is operating in the United States as part of the U.S. Navy’s COMPTUEX certification exercise. Meanwhile, Méndez Núñez (F-104) is supporting the joint activation Eagle Eye as part of Spain’s National Air Defence System, and Cristóbal Colón (F-105) is participating in NATO’s Steadfast Dart 26 exercise in the Baltic Sea.