The F-100 frigate ‘Almirante Juan de Borbón’ integrates into the Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 (SNMG-2)

The frigate ‘Almirante Juan de Borbón’ has just integrated into the Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 (SNMG-2) for a 4-month deployment to conduct a series of exercises and operations in the Mediterranean and Black Sea.

The integration takes place after an intense readiness period with a comprehensive upgrading carried out in Ferrol which started last December 2013.

‘Noble Mariner 2014’ is one of the scheduled maneuvers where Spain is the host nation. It will take place in October in the Gulf of Cádiz and Alborán Sea with participation of naval, air, surface, land and submarine units from different NATO and non-NATO nations.

Subsequently, the SNMG-2 warships will proceed to international waters in the Mediterranean where the main mission of the F-102 will be naval presence and surveillance, visiting and searching designated merchant ships in order to deter, defend and protect the Mediterranean against possible terrorist threats.

The participation of the Spanish Navy in these NATO Task Groups is one of the international commitments assumed by Spain, and is a great opportunity for the integration of naval units. The last deployment of the ‘Almirante Juan de Borbón’ in a NATO task group was in November 2012. This will be the second deployment of an F-100 frigate after the participation of the ‘Cristóbal Colón’ (F-105) in the first half of 2014.

The ‘Álvaro de Bazán’-class frigates (F-100) are purposely designed anti-air units. Their state-of-the-art AEGIS Combat System turns them into one of the most modern warships in Europe. The ‘Almirante Juan de Borbón’ has a complement of 200 people and is under the command of Commander Fernando Rosety Fernandez de Castro.