Spanish frigate Santa María

	Santa María on 2 June 2017
History
Spain
Name	Santa María
Builder	Bazan
Laid down	22 May 1982
Launched	11 November 1984
Commissioned	12 October 1986
Homeport	Rota
Identification	MMSI number: 224965000; Pennant number: F81;
Status	in active service
General characteristics
Class and type	Santa Maria-class frigate
Displacement	2,851 long tons (2,897 t) light; 3,610 long tons (3,668 t) standard; 4,177 long tons (4,244 t) full load;
Length	138.8 m (455 ft 5 in)
Beam	14.3 m (46 ft 11 in)
Draft	8.6 m (28 ft 3 in)
Propulsion	2 × General Electric LM2500-30 gas turbines generating 41,000 shp (31 MW) coupled to a single shaft and controllable-pitch propeller
Speed	30 knots (56 km/h; 35 mph)+
Armament	OTO Melara Mk 75 76 mm/62 caliber naval gun; Mk 32 triple-tube (324 mm) launcher for Mark 46 torpedoes; Mk 13 Missile Launcher for RGM-84 Harpoon SSM and SM-1MR Block VIB SAM; 20 mm Meroka CIWS 12 barrel AA system;
Aircraft carried	SH-60 Seahawk LAMPS III helicopter
Aviation facilities	Hangar and helipad

Santa María (F81) is the lead ship of six Spanish-built Santa Maria-class frigates, based on the American Oliver Hazard Perry class design, of the Spanish Navy.

Construction and career

Laid down on 22 May 1982 and launched on 11 November 1984, the Santa María was commissioned into service on 12 October 1986.

All of these Spanish frigates have the length of the later Oliver Hazard Perry frigates, and have a wider beam than the US Navy design, and therefore able to carry more top weight. Fin stabilizers are fitted.

In the American series J.A.G., Santa Maria was used to depict a fictional US Navy Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigate. Her Spanish pennant number F81 is clearly visible in a number of shots.

On 8 October 2022 the ship suffered serious fire damage, mainly in the helicopter hangar (empty of aircraft at the time), while berthed at Rota, and delaying participation in the Operation Atalanta anti-piracy patrol off Somalia[1]

Gallery

Santa María on 22 October 2005
Santa María on 20 September 2006
Santa María on 23 February 2007

Other units of class

References

"El voraz incendio en la fragata Santa María aplaza su salida a la Operación Atalanta contra la piratería". El Debate (in Spanish). Madrid. 9 October 2022. Retrieved 12 October 2022.

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.

[1] "El voraz incendio en la fragata Santa María aplaza su salida a la Operación Atalanta contra la piratería". El Debate (in Spanish). Madrid. 9 October 2022. Retrieved 12 October 2022.