Spanish frigate deploys to Australia for AWD support

Spanish Navy’s Álvaro de Bazán-class frigate Cristóbal Colón is scheduled to embark on a long-term deployment to Australia on January 9.

Under an agreement between the two navies, the Aegis-equipped frigate will spend 120 days in Australia where it will help train future Australian Hobart-class destroyer sailors of the Australian Navy.

By integrating into the Australian Navy fleet, Cristóbal Colón will provide dedicated training and familiarisation opportunities for the crews of Australian destroyers Hobart, Brisbane and Sydney.

NUSHIP Hobart, the first of three destroyers, will start category 5 sea trials in mid-January 2017 and will be assisted in the process by ESPS Cristóbal Colón.

If everything goes according to plan, the Spanish frigate is expected to return to Ferrol, Spain in early August 2017.

This is not the first time a Spanish Navy ship is integrating into the Royal Australian Navy. Back in 2013, Spain sent its replenishment ships ESPS Cantabria to Australia where it remained for eight months.