Spanish frigate Victoria

History
Name	SPS Victoria (F82)
Builder	Bazan
Laid down	16 August 1983
Launched	23 July 1986
Commissioned	11 November 1987
Homeport	Rota, Cádiz
Status	in active service
General characteristics
Class and type	Santa Maria-class frigate
Displacement	2,851 long tons (2,897 t) light 3,610 long tons (3,668 t) standard 4,177 long tons (4,244 t) full load
Length	138.8 m (455 ft 5 in)
Beam	14.3 m (46 ft 11 in)
Draft	8.6 m (28 ft 3 in)
Propulsion	2 × General Electric LM2500-30 gas turbines generating 41,000 shp (31 MW) coupled to a single shaft and controllable pitch propeller
Speed	30 knots (56 km/h; 35 mph)+
Armament	• OTO Melara Mk 75 76 mm/62 caliber naval gun • Mk 32 triple-tube (324 mm) launcher for Mark 46 torpedoes • Mk 13 Missile Launcher for RGM-84 Harpoon SSM and SM-1MR Block VIB SAM • 20 mm Meroka CIWS 12 barrel AA system
Aircraft carried	SH-60 Seahawk LAMPS III helicopter

SPS Victoria (F82) is the second of the six Spanish-built Santa Maria-class frigates, based on the American Oliver Hazard Perry class design, of the Spanish Navy.

Laid down on August 16, 1983, and launched on July 23, 1986, Victoria was commissioned in service on November 11, 1987.

All of these Spanish frigates have the length of the later Oliver Hazard Perry frigates, and have a wider beam than the US Navy design, and therefore able to carry more top weight. Fin stabilizers are fitted.

On 29 March 2009, as she was taking part in Operation Atalanta, German Navy Tanker Spessart (A1442) was attacked by a 7-man pirate boat . In addition to the regular 40-man civilian crew, Spessart carried a 12-man security detail which exchanged small arm fire with the pirates, and repelled the assault . The SH-60 helicopter aboard Victoria intercepted the fleeing pirate skiff, opened fire and kept guard over the surrendering pirates until relieved by naval units. The frigates HNLMS De Zeven Provinciën, HS Psara and the USS Boxer were involved in this chase.

On June 2, 2010, the Victoria provided medical assistance to the crew of the Libyan vessel MV Rim, and prevented recapture of that ship by Somali pirates, after the crew of the Rim overpowered the pirates who had hijacked the ship four months earlier. The Rim had been anchored in the harbor of Garacad, Somalia, since her February 3rd, 2010, taking in the Gulf of Aden. On August 3, 2010, a helicopter from the Victoria stopped a pirate attack on the Norwegian chemical tanker MV Bow Saga, which had sent a distress call that it was under attack by a pirate skiff. The seven pirates onboard the skiff were later captured by a second team from the European Union naval force in the region.

On August 3, 2010, The Norwegian Chemical tanker MV BOW SAGA was proceeding through the transit corridor in the middle of the Gulf of Aden when it came under attack. A pirate skiff with 7 people on board shot at the bridge, damaging the windows. EU NAVFOR heard her distress call and ordered the closest warship, the Spanish frigate SPS VICTORIA to react to the incident. VICTORIA already had her helicopter in the air and was able to intervene only ten minutes after the call. The pirates stopped the attack and tried to flee. After warning shots, first from the helicopter and then from the warship VICTORIA, the pirates eventually stopped. The skiff was searched by a boarding team from VICTORIA and weapons were subsequently found.

Other units of class

• Santa María (F81)
• Numancia (F83)
• Reina Sofía (F84)
• Navarra (F85)
• Canarias (F86)

External links

• Video of fleeing pirate skiff from Spessart incident under helicopter fire