The Spanish Council of Ministers has authorised the execution order for the mid-life modernisation of the Álvaro de Bazán-class (F100) frigates. State-owned shipbuilder Navantia will undertake the work, which has an estimated value of €3.2 billion ($3.3 billion).
The programme is scheduled to span 120 months from the signing of the order. The work will be carried out at the Ría de Ferrol shipyard. The initiative falls under the government's industrial and technological plan for security and defence.
Delivered between 2002 and 2012, the five F100 frigates are currently in the middle of their service life. The modernisation aims to extend the operational life of the series until 2045, addressing identified obsolescence and standardising updated systems.
The project also seeks to improve the vessels' efficiency and operability while adapting them to meet current environmental regulations.
Navantia President Ricardo Domínguez stated, “Navantia will work closely with the Navy to modernise the F100... in order to keep its capabilities at the technological forefront.”
The company highlighted that the F100 programme was the first European shipbuilding project to integrate the AEGIS combat system. The frigates are designed for high-demand scenarios, combining advanced capabilities in air warfare, anti-submarine warfare, and anti-surface defence.