Spanish shipbuilder NAVANTIA marks a milestone at Ferrol Shipyard, laying the F112 keel and starting F113 construction, while F111 advances ahead of schedule.
NAVANTIA is building the F-110s at its shipyard in Ferrol and last week celebrated the start of construction on F113 'Menéndez de Avilés' and the keel laying ceremony for F112 'Roger de Lauria', both of which are ahead of schedule, and therefore, the progress of the project is being closely monitored.
The F113's construction began inside a robotic welding cell to highlight NAVANTIA's digital transformation and automation, thus showcasing the company's commitment to innovation. Work on the F113 began three months ahead of schedule, and the keel of the F112 was laid seven months ahead, so the project is moving forward rapidly. Work is also underway on F111 'Ramon Bonifaz', with over 85 per cent of its blocks already assembled because the production schedule is strictly followed to ensure timely completion.
The F-110 program was launched in 2019 and aims to build five frigates for the Spanish Navy with a total investment of EUR 4.325 billion. As a result, it has been one of the most significant naval projects in recent years.
It includes a Digital Block Factory which will be operational by 2026 and will be used to build future ships, therefore, enhancing the shipbuilding capabilities of NAVANTIA. Each F-110 frigate will have a Digital Twin, which is a virtual representation using sensor data in real time to allow the ship to be remotely monitored and maintained using cloud computing and machine learning, thus enabling more efficient and effective ship management.
Author Özgür Ekşi
