The Juan Carlos I , formerly known as the Buque de Proyección Estratégica , is the flagship of the Spanish Navy . It was named after the former Spanish King Juan Carlos I and can be used as a multi-purpose warship both in the role of an aircraft carrier and an amphibious assault ship.
The concept for the ship was created in September 2003 and the Navantia shipyard in Ferrol began construction in 2005. The launch took place on March 10, 2008, the handover to the Armada on September 30, 2010. The home port is the Andalusian naval base Rota .
Juan Carlos I in Istanbul in May 2011
technology
The crew is 243 strong and 1200 infantry can be transported. On two levels there are multi-purpose decks and hangar decks with a loading capacity of 12,000 tons on around 6,000 m² . A corrugated deck at the stern can accommodate four small landing craft or an LCAC . The flight deck is 202 m long and has a ski jump at the bow. There are six landing areas for STOVL aircraft or medium-sized helicopters or four landing areas for heavy helicopters. The normal composition consists of 11 Harrier or F-35 (JSF) , as well as 12 NH90 helicopters. Up to 20 aircraft can be carried without a helicopter. In the opposite case, up to 25 helicopters can be carried. The ship is designed to accommodate heavy CH-47 transport helicopters or V-22 transport aircraft .
It is the first ship in the Spanish Navy to use a diesel-electric drive that supplies two propeller pods with electricity. The range is 9,000 nm (17,000 km) at a speed of 15 kn (28 km / h). With a displacement of 27,079 tons, the Juan Carlos I is the largest ship in the history of the Spanish Armada and has replaced the Príncipe de Asturias as the flagship of the Spanish Navy.
Exports
Two ships based on the Juan Carlos I were ordered by the Royal Australian Navy under the designation Canberra- class . The Canberra entered service on November 28, 2014. The HMAS Adelaide was followed, 2015.
The ship TCG Anadolu ( Anatolia ), based on the Juan Carlos I , has been built by the Turkish Sedef shipyard for the Turkish Navy since April 30, 2016 . The air group of the TCG Anadolu should normally comprise 6 F-35 (JSF), 4 TAI T-129 attack helicopters, 8 Aérospatiale AS 332 helicopters, 2 S-70B-28 Seahawk helicopters, and 2 TAI Anka or Bayraktar TB2 reconnaissance drones . Alternatively, the configuration of the Juan Carlos I with 12 F-35 (JSF) and 12 Aérospatiale AS 332/8 CH-47 can be used.