Spanish ship Castilla (L52)

Castilla docked at the Rota naval base.
History
Spain
NameCastilla
NamesakeCastilla
Ordered9 May 1997
BuilderEmpresa Nacional Bazán
Laid down11 December 1997
Launched14 June 1999
Commissioned26 June 2000
HomeportNaval Station Rota
IdentificationPennant number: L52
StatusShip in active service
General characteristics
Class and typeGalicia-class landing platform dock
Displacement13,815 t (13,597 long tons) full load
Length
  • 160 m (524 ft 11 in) oa
  • 142 m (465 ft 11 in) pp
Beam25 m (82 ft 0 in)
Draught5.9 m (19 ft 4 in)
Propulsion
Speed20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph) maximum
Range6,000 nmi (11,000 km; 6,900 mi) at 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph)
Boats & landing
craft carried
4 LCM-1E
Capacity543 fully-equipped soldiers and 130 APCs or 33 MBTs
Complement189
Sensors and
processing systems
DA08 air / surface search IRSCAN SATCOM, Link 1, JMCIS
Armament
Aircraft carried4 SH-3D or 6 AB 212 helicopters
Aviation facilities60 m × 25 m (197 ft × 82 ft) flight deck, hangar

Castilla (L52) is a Galicia-class landing platform dock (LPD), and is the twelfth ship of this name. She is the sister ship to the amphibious warfare vessel Galicia. The vessel is primarily used to transport Spanish marines but is also used for humanitarian aid missions. Launched in 1999 and commissioned in 2000, Castilla took part in Operation Romeo Sierra as part of the Perejil Island crisis in 2002, has participated in multiple military exercises with NATO and provided humanitarian relief in the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico.