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 |
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LENGTH | 160 meters |
BEAM | 25 meters |
PROPULSION | 2 plants with 2 Diesel Carterpillar-BAZAN engines (22,000HP) and an electric engine (1,500 HP), all of them coupled to a reduction gear 2 variable pitch propellers (5 blades and 4 m. diameter) 1 fore propeller (1,800 HP) for transversal thrust |
ELECTRIC PLANT | 7-MW electric plant with 4 diesel generators of 1,520 Kw and an emergency 715 Kw generator |
AERONAVES | Hangar for 4 heavy or 6 medium size helicopters Day and night operations; contact and instrument flight; VERTREP and HIFR, GSI and artificial horizonTalleres de mantenimiento. Puesto de control de vuelo |
CREW | 185 dotación. 615 transporte. |
WEAPONS | Two 20 mm OERLIKON machineguns (possibility of 4) 6 SRBOC Mk3 Chaff Launchers |
SENSORS | Surface and Navigational radar KH 1007 (F band) Helicopter control radar KH-1007 (F band) Navigational radar LPI PILOT Mk 2 MOD 7 (I band) IFF AN/TPX-54 (V) Mk-XII (mode 4) ESM communications system REGULUS Mk-9500 |
MISCELLANEOUS | 4 LCM1-E landing craft Helicopters: 6 AB-212 or 4 SH-3D Vehicles: 90-170 depending on type in 1,010 m2 in parking area (170 M-113; 130 Pizarro or 33 M-60A3) Materiel and ammunition: 700 tons 4 cargo lifts 3 ramps 2 cranes (25 and 2.5 tons) A total of 3,500 m2 of cargo areas including storerooms, flight deck and hangar. |
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
There are manoeuvres scheduled every year, particularly in February and September, when we take part in several amphibious exercises with the Marine Corps.
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).