Spain’s second S-80 class submarine, Narciso Monturiol, has hit the water at Navantia’s Cartagena shipyard, moving into the final phase of construction as the boat prepares for upcoming harbor trials and a full series of sea trials.
As disclosed, the operation, completed over several hours using a floating dock, required a series of essential tasks and checks to ensure the maneuver was conducted safely, both externally and within the submarine.
The submarine will now undergo a full verification of all onboard systems, progressing through safety milestones such as fuel loading, battery charging, and propulsion tests conducted while the vessel remains moored. These steps are designed to confirm the readiness and reliability of each subsystem before the platform proceeds to open-water testing.
Once these harbour trials are completed, the program will advance to sea trials, a phase that includes navigation assessments, diving evaluations, and performance checks under operational conditions. This will ultimately pave the way for the submarine’s delivery to the Spanish Navy.
The S-82 Narciso Monturiol is a next-generation Spanish submarine, stretching 80.8 meters in length with a beam of 7.3 meters and an estimated submerged displacement of about 3,000 tons.
Designed and built entirely in Spain, these subs feature Navantia’s innovative BEST AIP (Bio-Ethanol Stealth Technology) system, which reformulates bioethanol to generate hydrogen for fuel cells; this allows the vessels to remain submerged for up to three weeks.
They are also highly automated, operating with a relatively small crew of 32 sailors plus 8 additional berths, thanks to a modern platform control system from Navantia Sistemas.
The combat system, developed by Navantia together with Lockheed Martin, integrates sonar, electronic warfare, navigation, and weapons control into a unified command suite, enabling the submarines to launch torpedoes, anti-ship missiles, and even tactical land-attack missiles.
As of late 2024, Navantia also completed the installation of the third-generation hydrogen-based AIP system aboard one of the class’s submarines, a major industrial and technological achievement for Spain.
Navantia handed over the first unit of the S-80 series, the Isaac Peral , to the Spanish Navy in November 2023, following its launch ceremony in April 2022.