The Spanish frigate will participate in the ‘Highmast 25’ deployment for four months alongside vessels from other allied nations

• The Spanish frigate will participate in the ‘Highmast 25’ deployment for four months alongside vessels from other allied nations

Spain will deploy the ‘Méndez Núñez’ frigate (F-104) to the Indo-Pacific at the end of April. The ship, part of the Spanish Navy, will integrate into the Carrier Strike Group of the UK Royal Navy’s HMS ‘Prince of Wales’ until early August, when the group heads towards the Philippines. At that point, the frigate will detach from the Carrier Strike Group and begin her return transit to Ferrol. This deployment is part of the European initiative for the interoperability of Carrier Strike Groups.

This Carrier Strike Group will also include a supply ship, a nuclear attack submarine, several escort ships (frigates and destroyers), and the support of early-warning aircraft and maritime surveillance planes operating from land.

Throughout the deployment’s various phases, ships from allied and friendly navies will participate, including those from the UK, Australia, Canada, Denmark, France, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, and the USA.

The primary objective of this joint deployment is to conduct a global maritime operation, with ships transiting the Atlantic, the Mediterranean, and ultimately reaching the Pacific.

The integration of F-104 this Carrier Strike Group will showcase Spain’s technological capability and independence, as well as its ability to project force across diverse geographical areas, reaffirming Spain’s commitment to global stability. 

The ‘Méndez Núñez’ will also test her interoperability with vessels from other allied and friendly nations, operating well beyond her local sphere of influence.

‘Méndez Núñez’ Frigate (F-104)

The ‘Méndez Núñez’, in service with the Spanish Navy since 2006, is the fourth of the five F-100-class frigates. It is equipped with the advanced AEGIS combat system and the SPY-1D multifunction radar for air defence. She belongs to the 31^st Escort Squadron and is based at the Ferrol Naval Arsenal. 

The F-104 has participated in numerous missions and operations, including Operation Unified Protection (Libya 2011), Operation Atalanta (Somalia), 2019 sailing around the world and successive participations in the NATO Standing Naval Maritime Groups (SNMG).