The Commanding Officer of the "Castilla" welcomes you, and invites you to visit the web page of the Fleet Projection Group with home port at Rota Naval Base. This "Galicia"-class ship can operate as an amphibious ship and as a NATO command platform for the Maritime High Readiness Headquarters.
Displacement: 13.000 tons.
Length: 160 mts.
Beam: 25 mts.
Propulsion:
Electric plant: 7-MW electric plant with 4 diesel generators of 1,520 Kw and an emergency 715 Kw generator.
Aircrafts:
Crew: 185 people. 615 transported.
Weapons:
Sensors:
Miscellaneous:
The ship can transport troops and vehicles; operate amphibious craft in her dock and helicopters on her flight deck. Her main mission is to carry out amphibious operations; among them, peace-keeping and humanitarian aid operations with medical and surgical support.
The Command and Control capability of the LPD "Castilla" was enhanced to serve as NATO Command Ship for Maritime Operations. She is the regular command platform of the SP HRF (M) HQ (Spanish Maritime High Readiness Headquarters).
Her home port is Rota Naval Base (Cadiz); the largest Spanish Navy base located between the towns of Rota and Puerto de Santa María.
The ship embarks Marine Corps vehicles when deployed in amphibious operations or exercises. The vehicles can embark in the well deck thanks to the LCM landing craft belonging to the Beach Naval Group.
The ship, as opposed to a frigate, does not have missiles, but has self-defence weapons to repel unexpected attacks at sea. Namely, two 20 mm mountings; 4 Browning machineguns and 2 MG machineguns, as well as portable weapons such as HK rifles, guns, etc.
The LPD "Castilla" (L-52) is the second of the "Galicia" class built at Navantia Shipyards in Ferrol, commencing in May 1997. She was launched in June 1999 and delivered to the Spanish Navy on June 26th 2000, substituting the old transport ship "Aragón" (L-22).
This ship is the 12th unit with that name in the Spanish Navy. Other ships were:
The "Castilla" crew consists of 190 men and women: 18 officers, 28 NCOs and 144 seamen and ratings. All these people were trained in different naval schools such as the Naval Academy in Ferrol, the NCO Academy in San Fernando and the "Antonio Escaño" School in Ferrol, although many of them finished their training some time ago and have been serving in naval units for years
Amphibious operations are among the most complex in naval warfare and require extensive training and coordination among all participants. Therefore, in addition to the tasks of maintaining equipment and systems in perfect operating condition, an intensive instruction and training program is carried out daily, both in port and at sea./p>
Activities at sea include amphibious training exercises such as "ADELFIBEX" and "MARFIBEX," preparatory exercises as command platform for the Maritime Headquarters, such as "DYNAMIC MARINER," and advanced training exercises such as "GRUFLEX" and "FLOTEX," among others.
The main missions of the "Castilla" have been: the "Romeo Sierra" operation in Perejil Island on July 17th 2002; cleaning of fuel in the aftermath of the sinking of the "Prestige" oiler in Galicia (January-February 2003); transport of Spanish Legion materiel to Ash Shuahyabah (UAE) in the "IF" operation (July-September 2003); humanitarian aid operation in Haiti as part of "Mar Caribe" operation (October-December 2004).
The ship has participated three times in Operation ‘Atalanta’ (2012, 2018 and 2021) fighting piracy off the coast of Somalia and protecting World Food Program (WFP) and AMISOM (African Mission in Somalia) vessels. This operation is also intended to provide security to shipping in the Indian Ocean, especially to the Spanish fishing trawlers working in that part of the world.
The ship has participated three times in “Operation Atalanta” (2012, 2018 and 2021) to combat piracy off the coast of Somalia, protecting WFP (World Food Program) and AMISOM (African Mission in Somalia) vessels and ensuring the safety of shipping in Indian Ocean waters, especially Spanish fishing trawlers in the area.
Between 2021 and 2025, the ship provided support to those affected by the La Palma volcano eruption and participated in several deployments of the “DÉDALO” Expeditionary Combat Group, where military operations and manoeuvers were carried out within SACEUR's area of responsibility. These included support in the aftermath of the 2023 Turkey earthquake, and exercises "DYNAMIC MARINER" and MILEX. The “Castilla” has also transported Marine Corps troops deployed in Romania.
The ship has currently completed its operational combat qualification, obtaining A2 certification, and has completed the sea phase of certification as SPMARFOR command ship. It is expected to assume naval command of the ARF (Allied Response Force) starting in July 2025.