Spanish frigate Victoria

	Victoria on 12 January 2004
History
Spain
Name	Victoria
Namesake	Victoria
Builder	Bazan
Laid down	16 August 1983
Launched	23 July 1986
Commissioned	11 November 1987
Homeport	Rota
Identification	Pennant number: F82
Status	in active service
General characteristics
Class and type	Santa Maria-class frigate
Displacement	3,160 t (3,110 long tons) standard
Length	138.8 m (455 ft 5 in)
Beam	14.3 m (46 ft 11 in)
Draught	6.6 m (21 ft 8 in) max
Propulsion	2 × variable pitch propeller; 2 × Auxiliary Propulsion Units, 350 hp (260 kW) retractable electric azimuth thrusters for maneuvering and docking.;
Speed	29 knots (54 km/h; 33 mph)
Complement	223
Sensors and ; processing systems	Radar: AN/SPS-49(V)4 2-D air search ((V)5 in F-85 & F-86), RAN-12L (being replaced by RAN-30) 2-D low horizon air search radar for Meroka, SPS-55 surface search radar, Mk 92 fire control system,; Sonar: SQS-56, SQR-19(V) Towed Array (-19(V)2 in F-85 & F-86),; Fire control: Mk 13 weapons control, Mk 92 and SPG-60 STIR missile control, SQQ-89 ASW;
Electronic warfare ; & decoys	Nettunel (F-85 & F-86: Mk-3000) intercept, SLQ-25 Nixie, Mk36 SROC decoy launchers
Armament	1 × single-arm Harpoon anti-ship missiles; 2 × triple Mark 32 ASW torpedo tubes with Mark 46 Mod 5 anti-submarine torpedoes; 1 × OTO Melara 76 mm/62 cal. naval gun; 1 × 20 mm Meroka 12-barrel CIWS system;
Aircraft carried	2 × Sikorsky SH-60B Seahawk LAMPS III helicopters

Victoria (F82) is the second of the six Spanish-built

Santa Maria-class frigates of the Spanish Navy, based on the American Oliver Hazard Perry class design. Constructed in 1983, the vessel was launched on 23 July 1986 and commissioned on 11 November 1987. The frigate has been assigned to Operation Atalanta, fighting piracy

of the Somalian coast.

Design and description

The Santa María class are a series of six

anti-air warfare (AAW) platform with anti-submarine (ASW) and anti-surface warfare capabilities.^[2] The Oliver Hazard Perry class came in two forms, the short-hulled and long-hulled, with the Santa María class being of the later with additional beam to allow for more top weight for future modifications.^[3] The class came in two batches, with the first four being of batch one and the final two of the second. The first batch of ships have a displacement of 2,851 tonnes (2,806 long tons) light, 3,160 t (3,110 long tons) standard and 4,017 t (3,954 long tons) at full load. The second batch have the same light and standard displacements, with a full load displacement of 4,107 t (4,042 long tons). The frigates measure 138.8 metres (455 ft 5 in) long overall and 125.9 m (413 ft 1 in) at the waterline with a beam of 14.3 m (46 ft 11 in) and a standard draught of 4.52 m (14 ft 10 in) and a maximum draught at the sonar dome of 6.6 m (21 ft 8 in).^[4] The ships have a complement of 223 sailors including 13 officers.^[1]

The Santa María class is propelled by a

fin stabilisers fitted.^[1]

Armament and sensors

Frigates of the Santa María class are armed with a single-armed

close-in weapons system (CIWS) capable of firing 3,600 rounds per minute up to 2 km (1.2 mi). For ASW, the frigates are armed with two triple-mounted Mark 32 torpedo tubes for Mod 5 Mark 46 torpedoes.^[1]

The vessels are equipped with

SLQ-25 Nixie towed torpedo decoy, and Mk36 SROC decoy launchers.^[4]

Aircraft

As long-hulled versions of the Oliver Hazard Perry class, the Santa María-class frigates have twin hangars to accommodate up to two Sikorsky SH-60B Seahawk Light Airborne Multi-Purpose System (LAMPS) III helicopters though only one is usually embarked. The helicopter deck, located aft, is equipped with the RAST helicopter deck-handling system designed to handle LAMPS helicopters.^[4]

Construction and career

Victoria was ordered on 29 June 1977. The ship was

Rota, Spain as part of the 41st Escort Squadron.^[4]

On 29 March 2009, as she was taking part in Operation Atalanta, the German Navy tanker Spessart was attacked by a seven-man pirate boat.^[6]^[7] In addition to the regular 40-man civilian crew, Spessart carried a 12-man security detail which exchanged small arms fire with the pirates, and repelled the assault.^[8] The SH-60B helicopter aboard Victoria intercepted the fleeing pirate skiff, opened fire, and kept guard over the surrendering pirates until relieved by naval units. Fellow warships HNLMS De Zeven Provinciën, Psara and USS Boxer were also involved in this chase.

On 2 June 2010, Victoria provided medical assistance to the crew of the Libyan vessel MV Rim, and prevented recapture of that ship by Somali pirates, after the crew of Rim overpowered the pirates who had hijacked the ship four months earlier. Rim had been anchored in the harbour of Garacad, Somalia, since her 3 February 2010 taking in the Gulf of Aden. On 3 August 2010, a helicopter from Victoria stopped a pirate attack on the Norwegian chemical tanker MV Bow Saga, which had sent a distress call that it was under attack by a pirate skiff. The seven pirates on board the skiff were later captured by a second team from the European Union naval force in the region.^[9] On 3 August 2010, the Norwegian chemical tanker MV Bow Saga was proceeding through the transit corridor in the middle of the Gulf of Aden when it came under attack. A pirate skiff with 7 people on board shot at the bridge, damaging the windows. EU NAVFOR heard her distress call and ordered the closest warship, Victoria react to the incident. Victoria already had her helicopter in the air and was able to intervene only ten minutes after the call. The pirates stopped the attack and tried to flee. After warning shots, first from the helicopter and then from the warship Victoria, the pirates eventually stopped. The skiff was searched by a boarding team from Victoria and weapons were subsequently found. ^[10]