Frigate ‘Blas de Lezo’ to integrate into the Standing NATO Maritime Group Two in the Mediterranean Sea

Frigate ‘Blas de Lezo’ (F-103) has just left her homeport in Ferrol to start a series of pre-deployment and readiness sea trials before integrating into the Standing NATO Maritime Group Two (SNMG-2). The assessment and qualification tests will be conducted in the Gulf of Cadiz.

The warship will then sail towards La Spezia (Italy) to integrate into this NATO Group until the end of November. The F-103 will participate in several exercises like ‘Dynamic Mariner-Flotex’, ‘Mare Aperto 19-2’ and ‘Dogu Akdeniz 19’ along with other allied nations.

For this deployment, the ‘Blas de Lezo’ will embark a 21-strong Air Unit in support of her SH-60B helicopter, in addition to a Marine Corps security team and medical personnel. Her total complement amounts to 237 servicemen.

Frigate ‘Blas de Lezo’ (F-103)

The F-103 is one of the most modern warships of the Navy. She is the third ‘Álvaro de Bazán’-class frigate (F-100) and her AEGIS combat system plus the state-of-the-art SPY-1D multifunction radar provide ample anti-air defense capability within a 500 kilometer radius. The 147-meter long and 18.6-wide frigate was delivered to the Spanish Navy in December 2004.

This is the fourth time that the F-103, currently under command of Cdr. Juan Carlos Pérez Guerrero, integrates into the SNMG-2 on one occasion –back in 2013– as flagship of the task group.

The ship is named after Lieutenant General Blas de Lezo y Olavarrieta, a hero of the battle of Cartagena de Indias and one of the most illustrious naval officers of the history of Spain.