F-73 Cataluña

Country:  Spain

Class, [Type]: Baleares, [FFG].

Builder: Bazán, El Ferrol, Spain.

Launch date: 11 March 1971.

Commission date: 16 January 1975.

Decommission date: 30 June 2004.

 Draw by Antoni Casinos

Displacement ( tons ): 3.350 standard, 4.177 full load.

Dimensions ( metres ): 133,6 x 14,3 x 7,8

Main machinery: 2 x Combustion Engineering V2M boilers; 1 x Westinghouse turbine ( 35.000 hp ).

Speed ( knots ): 28.

Range ( miles ): 4.500 at 20 knots.

Complement: 256 ( 15 officers ).

Guns: 1 x FMC 127mm/54 Mk42 Mod 9, 2 x FABA Meroka 2A3 CIWS 20mm/120, 2 x Browning 12,7mm.

Missiles:  SSM: 8 x McDonnell Douglas Harpoon ( but usually only carrying 4 ). SAM: 16 x GDC Pomona Standard SM-1MR, using a Mk22 launcher; A/S: 1 x Honeywell ASROC Mk16 octuple launcher.

Torpedoes: 4 x 324mm Mk 32. 24 x Honeywell Mk 46 Mod 5. 2 x 484mm Mk 32.

Radar: Air: Hughes SPS 52B, 3D, E/F bands; Surface: Raytheon SPS 10, G band; RAN 12L ( designator for Meroka ); TACAN: SRN 15A; Fire control: Mk68 Mod12 ( radar SPG-53C ) for gun and missiles, Mk74 ( radar SPG-51 ) for missiles. 4 x Sperry VPS-2 radars for Merokas ( gun directors ).

Sonar: Raytheon SQS 56 (DE 1160), SQS 35 VDS.

Countermeasures: Decoys: 4 x FMC SRBOC Mk 36. Infrared flares and chaff launchers. FANFARE Towed torpedo decoy; ESM: Ceselsa Deneb; ECM: Ceselsa Canopus; ESM/ECM communications: Indra ELNATH; Prairie Masker hull and blade noise suppresion system.

Callsign: EBJV ()

Comment: First unit of the Baleares class decommissioned. Sunk in an exercise on 20th June 2007, Atlantic ocean.

Homeport: El Ferrol.

Unit: 31st Squadron.

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