Spanish Navy F100 frigate Álvaro de Bazán (F-101) has returned to Ferrol, Spain after a five-month deployment as flagship of the Standing NATO Maritime Group One (SNMG-1).
During the 143-day deployment with more than 22,000 miles sailed in Northern Europe, Alvaro de Bazan interacted with many regional navies, and also served to showcase capabilities of the AEGIS-equipped frigate and the Spanish naval shipbuilding.
Alvaro de Bazan took part in a number of international exercises including Cold Response, Joint Warrior and Dynamic Guard.
The F-101, Alvaro de Bazan is substituted by sister ship Mendez Nunez F-104. The two ships rendezvoused in Copenhagen for the changeover ceremony. Mendez Nunez will participate in exercises like Baltops 16 in the Baltic Sea, the anti-submarine exercise Dynamic Mongoose in the Norwegian Sea and the mine countermeasures (MCM) exercise Northern Coast.
SNMG-1 is one of the multinational, integrated maritime forces composed of vessels from various allied countries. These vessels are permanently available to NATO to perform different tasks ranging from participation in exercises to operational missions.