Europe
F110 IAMD: Navantia and the Spanish Navy design an air-defence frigate with more missile launchers
The Spanish Navy and Navantia are developing a variant of the F110 frigate with greater missile-launcher capacity and a stronger role in protecting naval forces against air and missile attack. The final layout will be decided through the Navy’s requirements process.
The Spanish Navy and Navantia are developing a variant of the F110 frigate with greater missile-launcher capacity and a stronger role in protecting naval forces against air and missile attacks. The F110 IAMD (Integrated Air and Missile Defence) will extend the Bonifaz class beyond the five frigates currently under construction. Navantia announced on Friday, October 23, that the work follows the Navy’s requirements in the “Armada 2050” document.
The final layout will be set by the Navy, the Spanish Ministry of Defence and the shipbuilder through the requirements and procurement process. The company did not announce a number of launchers, missile types or how many additional frigates are under consideration.
The ship is designed to engage aircraft, ballistic missiles and cruise missiles simultaneously. Its missions will include area air defence, escorting high-value units and coordinating the air defence of a naval force. More vertical launch cells will allow different missile types, with the load tailored to each mission. The frigate will also have greater speed and endurance for extended deployments and will keep the anti-submarine and surface warfare capabilities of the F110.
Combat system in the “naval cloud”
The frigate will use the new-generation SCOMBA combat management system, which runs in a computing cloud and links sensors, weapons, autonomous vehicles, ship systems and data links. The common tactical picture in the naval combat cloud will help coordinate air defence across the whole force. The architecture is designed to accept new sensors, weapons and countermeasures for new missiles and unmanned systems, and to operate within NATO and EU networks.
The ship will retain electronic warfare and protection against asymmetric threats. A multi-mission space will take modular payloads, a second helicopter and unmanned vehicles. A digital twin, condition-based maintenance and an integrated platform management system will help detect faults, plan support and train crews.
Navantia says the development will draw on a network of more than 500 Spanish companies, together with technology centres and universities. The stronger air-defence role on European ships is tied to the growing ballistic missile threat, in response to which the United States is increasing production of air-defence missiles such as the SM-6.
