Navantia lays keel of Spanish Navy’s third F110 frigate

July 21, 2026, by Fatima Bahtić

Spanish shipbuilder Navantia has reached a new milestone in the Spanish Navy’s F110 frigate program with the keel laying of the third vessel in the class, F113 Menéndez de Avilés, at the company’s Ferrol shipyard.

As informed, the construction milestone was achieved seven months ahead of the contractual schedule, highlighting the strong progress of the F110 program and the close collaboration between Navantia and Spain’s Ministry of Defense. The keel laying marks the beginning of a new phase in the frigate’s construction, with block assembly now continuing on slipway 2, where the first-in-class F111 Bonifaz was previously built, ahead of the vessel’s planned launch.

The F110 program continues to progress across multiple construction stages at Navantia’s Ferrol shipyard. The lead ship of the class, F111 Bonifaz, is currently afloat at berth 10, where the installation and commissioning of major systems are underway ahead of the start of sea trials.

Spanish Navy’s F-110 frigate program hits a milestone

Vessels

Upcoming milestones include the activation of the integrated platform management system and the installation of the SPY-7 radar, with delivery to the Spanish Navy planned for 2028, according to Navantia.

The second frigate, F112 Roger de Lauria, has reached a key construction milestone following the completion of its main hull structure with the installation of the bow block. The vessel is now being prepared for launch after the summer, with preliminary activities for the launch ceremony already underway.

Meanwhile, construction of the fourth frigate, F114 Luis de Córdova, is in its early stages, coinciding with the commissioning of Navantia’s new Digital Block Factory at Ferrol. The advanced facility, designed to modernize and streamline military shipbuilding processes, is expected to become fully operational in the coming weeks and represents a major transformation of the shipyard’s production capabilities.

The frigates are multi-purpose ships, with anti-submarine, anti-air and anti-surface capabilities, and are also prepared for hybrid warfare and new threats.

They represent a qualitative leap in the Spanish Navy’s operational capabilities, as well as a step forward in the industrial and technological potential of Navantia and its entire collaborating industry. The programme helps strengthen Spain’s strategic autonomy and generate a moderrn industrial and technological base, while opening up new export opportunities.