Navantia launches the 1st S-80 Plus class submarine Isaac Peral

S-80
Photo courtesy of La Verdad

Spanish shipbuilder Navantia launched the first S-80 Plus-class submarine, Isaac Peral (S-81), with a ceremony held in Navantia Shipyard in Cartagena on April 22.

The ceremony was attended by His Majesty King Felipe VI, accompanied by Her Majesty the Queen, Her Royal Highness the Princess of Asturias, and Her Royal Highness Infanta Sofia. The Princess of Asturias was the godmother of the brand-new submarine.

In the event, the Defense Minister of Spain has defined the day as historic for Spain. He has underlined that the submarine is “science, innovation, technology, it is the future” and has emphasized the work and effort of all those who have made possible the S-80, which he has described as a “masterpiece”.

The president of Navantia thanked the defense officials, including the Spanish Ministry of Defense and the Spanish Navy, “for their firm and determined support to the program, given the important strategy that it has for Spain”, as well as the work of the Navantia staff and the collaborating industry, which has been referred to as “the best example of Spain’s technological capacity”.

royal family at s-80 plus submarine ceremony
The Royal family of Spain before the ceremony (Credit: La Verdad)

As the lead ship of S-80 Plus-class project, Isaac Peral is expected to enter service for the Spanish Navy in 2023. According to Navantia’s plans, the possible commissioning days af the sister ships as follows;

  • Narciso Monturiol (S-82): 2024
  • Cosme García (S-83): 2026
  • Mateo García de los Reyes (S-84):2028

S-80 Plus-class submarine:

The S-80 Plus class (or Isaac Peral class) is a Spanish class of four submarines in production by the Spanish company Navantia in its Cartagena shipyard for the Spanish Navy. In common with other contemporary submarines, they feature air-independent propulsion.

The S-80 is powered by Air-independent propulsion (AIP) allowing a non-nuclear submarine to operate without access to atmospheric oxygen (by surfacing or using a snorkel). The propulsion system includes three diesel engines rated at 1,200 kW each, a 3,500 kW main electric engine, and a 300 kW air-independent propulsion (AIP) reactor. The submarine will be able to reach a surfaced speed of 12 knots (22 km/h) and 19 knots (35 km/h) in submerged conditions. The S-80 has a crew of 32 sailors.

The submarines will have an overall length of 80.8 m, a diameter of 7.3 m, and a submerged displacement of around 3,200 tones. The S-80 Plus-class subs will be the largest non-nuclear submarines around the world.

The primary weapons of the submarines will be DM2A4 heavyweight torpedo, UGM-84 Sub-Harpoon anti-ship missile and SAES seabed mines. It was also planned to equip them with the UGM-109 Tomahawk land-attack cruise missile.

s 80 submarine isaac peral - naval post- naval news and information
Isaac Peral (Source:Navantia)