One that has been on my mind, is the “Enlarged Descurbierta” class with possible helicopter hangar that was mentioned in Convays book

Imaging a bit larger Descubierta (2.400 vs 1.600 t) with the Bofors LR-375 replaced by an Albatros/Aspide launcher (same disposition like in MMI Maestrales) and a telescopic hangar aft, replacing the 40 mm’s and missile launcher there. 40 mm’s would be relocated both sides of the hangar.
All other stuff reminds unchanged (76mm, Harpoon, Mk-32, WM-25, DA-05…). It would be a ship very similar to Italian Lupos, but with CODAD propulsion and w/o 127 mm.

It exists at least an artist view of this design but I googled for it without success.

For comparison, take a look to the hangar configuration of the Descubierta derived OPV offered to Turkish CG some years ago.

I’ll search in the deeps of my PC for some other Spanish “Newer wheres” 😉

Regards

I have wondered, were those extra two F80 procured because of the delays in the NFR-90 program or was that decision not connected at all to those events?

Yes, the F-85/86 were a preventive measure on the delays of NFR-90 and, of course, were later included in PAM.

A similar thing happened in Germany btw. Originally it was planned to build 12 Nato Standard Frigates (F122 Bremen class) in two batches of six each. When enrolling in the NFR-90 project it was hopped to build more of those instead but due to the delays a further two F122 and later four national designed and build F123 were ordered instead, reducing the number of needed NFR-90 to 3-4 in total.

Interesting. I wonder if M frigates were the Dutch alternative solution or it was a previous program.

I also read somewhere that the F110 “project” evolved into a land attack ship after the decision to “upgrade” the F100 from an ASW into an AAW platform. Any truth in that or just wishfull thinking?

In any case that isn’t related to PAM (“land attack ship” seems a more recent concept).
Once the definitive F-100 program was on course “F-110” became simply a name for a future replacement of the F-80’s, following a numeric logic. I doubt that any serious studies on it were made.
Nowadays if you ask to most of the Armada officers what they want to replace F-80’s they would say “more F-100”. There is a total commitment with very capable AAW ships. Land attack assets would be TLAM and 5 inch guns, beginning with F-100’s themselves.
If other land attack stuff, a second helo, UAV’s or something like that is considered in the future it would be preserving AAW capabilities (It seems that Navantia has a preliminary design of a 9.500 t DDG 😮 ).

Regards

Can you tell me more about the Plan Alta Mar, please?

Well, it’s an old and long story :rolleyes:

Plan Alta Mar (PAM) was defined in 1990. It was the first naval plan of the restored democracy and was foreseen a 15 years period of execution (1991-2005).
The idea was to preserve the size and composition of the Spanish Armada in the eighties but replacing the old types, most of them former US Navy vessels 40 or more years old, with modern and locally built ships.
It was a rational plan, supported by both the socialist and popular (conservative) parties and coherent with the economic situation of that moment. It left behind some ambitious projects seriously considered years before like the building of 3-4 SSN of Rubis type or a second CVS of PdA class.

So, the plan consisted in:
– a force of 15 “oceanic escorts” (frigates). 5 Baleares/F70, 6 FFG/F80 (4 already built + 2 more effectively built in 1994), and 4 F-100 (1997-2000).
Those “F100” were 3.500 t “inexpensive” ASW frigates with a design that seems derived (thought reduced in size) with some of the NFR-90 designs. They would replace the ancient Gearing FRAM-I.
For the 2000-2005 period was foreseen a class of 5 “F110” (other sources said “F90”) more complex and AAW oriented ships destined to replace the Baleares.

– a force of up to 10 submarines, replacing the 4 Daphnes/S60 with 4-6 S80, may be derived from the Agosta/S70 class and similar to what later became the Scorpene. The 4 boats would must be in service in 2000-2005, with an additional couple some years later if the budget was enough.

– a force of up to 16 MCM. First 8 minehunters, later 4-8 minesweepers. The actual 6 Segura class are the remains of the “8 minehunters” once the building of the last 2 were delayed sinedie.

– 5 amphib vessels: 1 LPD + 4 LST or something similar. They would be a some limited ships for the modern standards because the PAM accounted “a total of 20.000 t for the 5 vessels”.

– only 1 AOR, that became the A-14 Patiño, a bit scarce to support 15 frigates!

The CVS (R-11 PdA) and the 6 “Coastal Escorts” (the Descubierta corvettes) remained unchanged and the AOL A-11 Marques de la Ensenada was ordered in a hurry like a provisional measure, entering in service in 1991 (Armada was using civil oil tankers since the retirement years ago of the ancient AOL Teide).

…. but, the wall, and later the USSR, collapsed, submarine menace nearly disappeared, others appeared, the situation changed.
Spanish economy in the nineties got worse, delaying some of the programs, but from 1997-98 it boomed (up to now), allowing others more ambitious….. and PAM were progressively replaced by Strategic Defence Revisions and Armada General Drawings more concerned with operative demands than with concise numbers of ships.

Regards

Excellent work, MConrads
(you have a message 😉

Regards

… and a similar configuration appears in the picture I posted.

Once again, a superb work!

Cheers