The Spanish Navy received the S-81 ‘Isaac Peral’ submarine at the Cartagena Arsenal in an event chaired by the Minister of Defense, Margarita Robles, a delivery that represents an essential moment in the recent history of the Navy and the industry. of defense, with which Spain enters the club of ten countries with the capacity to design and build submarines.
The ‘Isaac Peral’ is the first of the four state-of-the-art S-80 submarines, a program that means for the Spanish Navy to be among the best equipped in the world in terms of underwater weapons, and for Navantia to consolidate itself among leading international companies.
“We are taking a giant step in this program and today we feel particularly proud of our Navy, heir to the great sailors of history who transformed the world, Spain’s international presence “It is guaranteed with this Spanish Navy and with this program.”
Minister of Defense, Margarita Robles
Robles has thanked the city of Cartagena, the Navy and all the staff of Navantia and the Ministry of Defense for their involvement in the project. Furthermore, he had some words of remembrance for the deceased AJEMA, Admiral General Antonio Martorell: “I think that today, wherever he is, he will feel as proud as we all feel.”
In the solemn ceremony, the delivery and transfer documentation was signed between Navantia and the General Directorate of Armaments and Materials of the Ministry of Defense and from the latter to the Cartagena Arsenal. In addition, the man who will be the first commander of the unit, Lieutenant Commander Manuel Corral, has taken office and the Flag has been delivered to the ship.
Also attending the celebration were the Chief of the Defense Staff (JEMAD), Admiral General Teodoro López Calderón, the Chief of the Navy Staff (AJEMA), Admiral General Antonio Piñeiro, and the Secretary of State for Defense, Amparo Valcarce. and the president of Navantia, Ricardo Domínguez, among other civil and military authorities.
AJEMA has stressed that “today an exciting stage begins, in which we incorporate cutting-edge technology in a submarine that is called to assume an important role in naval operations”, and has thanked the Minister of Defense for promote a project “that would not have been possible without their determined and personal support.”
Also present at the event were the Secretary of State, director of the CNI, Esperanza Casteleiro; the Undersecretary of Defense, Adoración Mateos; the general director of Armaments and Material, Admiral Aniceto Rosique; the president of the Region of Murcia, Fernando López Miras, and the mayor of Cartagena, Noelia Arroyo.
INDUSTRIAL AND TECHNOLOGICAL MILESTONE
The S-80 program represents the greatest industrial and technological challenge ever faced by the national defense industry, since a submarine is a system designed to operate autonomously in a very hostile environment for long periods of time, which is why it requires highly specialized knowledge. in diverse disciplines.
In this sense, the president of Navantia has pointed out that “the delivery of the first of these submarines is a success of excellence in the technical aspect, but also of other values and principles that are at the base of every challenge: collaboration, confidence in our capacity, effort and will to improve,” he expressed, and especially thanked the Ministry of Defense and the Navy. “Without your determined help, we would not be here celebrating this historic milestone,” he stated.
“the S-80 Program and the work of Navantia in the naval industry hub of Cartagena is, without a doubt, one of the most complex technological projects that have undertaken in our country”, and highlighted that, in addition to placing the Spanish naval industry among the most important in the international arena, it represents important economic returns. This project represents a challenge for our science and technology system, and a very important investment milestone by the Government of Spain, of 4,000 million euros between 2018 and 2032.”
Secretary of State for Defense, Amparo Valcarce
After the S-81 will arrive three other submersibles that are in different degrees of progress, all of them named after pioneers of underwater navigation: the S-82 ‘Narciso Monturol’, the X-83 ‘Cosme García’ and the S -84 ‘Mateo García de los Reyes’.
UNIQUE CAPABILITIES
With a length of 80.8 meters, a diameter of 7.3 and a displacement of almost 3,000 tons, the S-80 has unique capabilities among NATO non-nuclear submarines. Due to its high level of automation, it can operate with a crew of only 32 people and is capable of anti-surface, anti-submarine, land attack, operations at various depths, special operations and evacuation of civilian personnel, intelligence collection or deterrence.
The S-80 Program represents a substantial technological leap compared to its predecessor, the S-70, since it will have an Integrated Platform Control System and a Combat System that, at the same time, will allow it to increase its degree of automation, significantly reduce the number of people needed to operate the submarine. This project has been the greatest challenge for Spanish shipbuilding to date.
The crew has carried out a rigorous training, training and certification process throughout the sea trial process that allows them to know the platform in depth, so that the submarine can be operated safely, both on the surface and submerged.
The JEMAD, for its part, has wished the crew good luck: “Now their work truly begins,” and has urged them to “get the most out of the systems they have and put them to work operationally at the highest level.”
