Baleares-class frigate

Baleares during the military exercise Ocean Venture 1981
Class overview
NameBaleares class
BuildersNavantia, Ferrol, Spain
Operators Spanish Navy
Succeeded bySanta María class
Built1968–1976
In commission1973–2009
Planned5
Completed5
Retired5
General characteristics final version
TypeFrigate
Displacement
Length133.6 m (438 ft 4 in)
Beam14.3 m (46 ft 11 in)
Draught7.8 m (25 ft 7 in) max
Installed power2 V2M boilers, total 26,000 kW (35,000 shp)
Propulsion1 shaft, one Westinghouse steam turbine
Speed28 knots (52 km/h; 32 mph)
Range4,500 nmi (8,300 km; 5,200 mi) at 20 kn (37 km/h; 23 mph)
Complement256
Sensors and
processing systems
Electronic warfare
& decoys
Ceselsa Deneb/Canopus, Mk36 SBROC decoy launchers
Armament

The Baleares class were a group of five frigates built for the Spanish Navy in the late 1960s and 1970s. The ships were a modified version of the American Knox-class frigates. The key differences are the replacement of helicopter facilities by a medium-range surface-to-air missile system and associated radars. Constructed between 1968 and 1976, the Baleares class began entering service in 1973 and formed the 31 Escort Squadron, based at Ferrol. The five ships were upgraded several times during their service lives. The ships were retired beginning in the mid-2000s and replaced by the Álvaro de Bazán-class frigates on a one-to-one basis.