Spanish shipbuilder Navantia launched the Spanish Navy’s fifth BAM (Buque de Acción Marítima) ship on March 30 at its Cadiz-San Fernando shipyard.
Named Audaz, (which translates to bold or audacious) the modular offshore patrol vessel is the fifth of overall nine units the Spanish Navy plans to acquire.
The launching ceremony was attended by the Spanish minister of defense, the major of San Fernando, Spanish Navy chieff of the naval staff, Admiral Jaime Muñoz-Delgado and Navantia CEO José Manuel Revuelta Lapique among other dignitaries.
BAM Audaz is the first ship in the second batch of vessels ordered by the navy. The first four ships – Meteoro, Rayo, Relámpago and Tornado – were ordered in 2006 and were delivered by 2012.
According to Navantia, the P-45 “Audaz” and the P-46 “Furor” will enter into service from 2018.
The OPVs are 96 meters long and displace 2,500 tones. They accommodate a crew of 86 and have a SH 60B ‘Seahawk’ helicopter embarked.