Spanish Navy, Navantia, chart course for F110 IAMD variant

The proposed F100 Flight II design will incorporate a total of 64 Mk 41 vertical launcher cells, as shown in this model. (Richard Scott/NAVYPIX)

The Spanish Navy and state-owned shipbuilding and systems group Navantia are moving forward with plans to develop an evolved variant of the F110 Bonifaz-class frigate optimised for integrated air and missile defence (IAMD).

Announcing the move on 23 October, Navantia said the modified Flight II design will address requirements set by the Spanish Navy under its Armada 2050 fleet plan document. A formal project definition study is expected to commence in early 2027.

Being procured to replace the ageing F-80 Santa María class frigates, the F110 design was conceived to provide the Armada Española with a versatile and flexible multi-mission surface combatant designed primarily for anti-submarine warfare but also embodying a credible anti-air warfare (AAW) capability. Navantia was awarded EUR 4.325 billion manufacture contract for the five-ship class in April 2019, with the first ship scheduled for delivery in mid-2028.

The baseline F110 combat system integrates the Lockheed Martin AN/SPY-7(V)2 radar and International Aegis Fire Control Loop (IAFCL) with the indigenous SCOMBA combat management system developed by Navantia Sistemas. IAFCL hardware includes Aegis Weapon System computing infrastructure, the MK 99 fire control system, the MK 41 vertical launching system, and a Digital Signal Processing Group (derived from the US Navy's (USN's) Multi-Mission Signal Processor and integrated into AN/SPY-7[V]2) running AAW software.

Flight I ships are initially being equipped with two eight-cell MK 41 vertical launcher systems capable of firing Evolved SeaSparrow Missile (ESSM) and Standard Missile-2 (SM-2) Block IIIB effectors; provision in the Flight I design allows for a further two MK 41 modules, doubling the total number of cells to 32.

F110 first-of-class Bonifaz