The Spanish Navy has reached a rare operational milestone with all five F-100 Álvaro de Bazán-class frigates deployed at the same time across several national and international security theatres. The more than 6,000-tonne escort ships are operating simultaneously in NATO and allied naval and air task groups, highlighting their interoperability, logistic support and escort capabilities.
Sustaining the deployment of the entire class poses major challenges in planning, maintenance and logistics, particularly for the Ferrol Naval Base, which supports much of their upkeep. Close coordination between crews, shore-based support and the industrial supply chain has been required to ensure the continued readiness of ships that have been in demanding service for more than two decades.
The current operational tempo coincides with renewed momentum behind the F-100 Mid-Life Modernisation Programme, whose contract was signed in December 2025. Valued at 3.2 billion euros and running to 2036, the programme covers upgrades to platforms and combat systems to address obsolescence and adapt the frigates to future operational environments, including modernisation of the AEGIS system.
Built in Ferrol, the F-100 frigates were the first in Europe to incorporate the AEGIS combat system and remain among the continent’s most capable air-defence escorts. Their role has been underlined through regular participation in live-fire exercises such as Formidable Shield, routine integration into NATO standing naval groups and deployments to strategically significant maritime regions.
Each ship is currently engaged in a distinct mission, reflecting the class’s operational flexibility. The Álvaro de Bazán operates with the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle during the high-intensity Orion 26 exercise, while Almirante Juan de Borbón serves as flagship of NATO’s Standing Naval Group 1.
Blas de Lezo is taking part in the demanding COMPTUEX certification exercise with the United States Navy, while Méndez Núñez supports the joint activation Eagle Eye as part of Spain’s national air defence system. Cristóbal Colón is deployed to the Baltic Sea for NATO’s Steadfast Dart 26 exercise, working alongside allied forces.
According to the Navy, this sustained activity is enabled by the commitment of ship crews, continuous logistic and maintenance support, and close coordination with defence authorities and industry. The simultaneous deployment of all five frigates is presented as clear evidence of the reliability of the F-100 class and of Spain’s intention to keep them as reference escort ships for decades to come.