Second S-80 Spanish Navy Sub Passes Key Safety Test

The second S-80-class submarine being built for the Spanish Navy by Spanish shipbuilder Navantia has passed a new manufacturing milestone.

As per a recent press statement, the S-82 Narciso Monturiol recently successfully accomplished its first key safety landmark: the “power up” of both its main and emergency electrical distribution networks.

The boat has also passed its first Harbour Acceptance Tests, as part of a wider programme that includes more than 1,500 system verifications.

The first boat in the class, the S-81 Isaac Peral, is already in active service; she was commissioned in November 2023. The Narciso Monturiol, named after the inventor of the first air-independent and combustion-engine-driven submarine, is scheduled to be commissioned in the summer of 2026.

A further two S-80-class submarines are under construction at Navantia’s Cartagena shipyard. All are powered by an air-independent propulsion (AIP) system which transforms bioethanol into high-purity hydrogen fed into a series of fuel cells.

The 81-metre boats displace almost 3,000 tonnes and can travel at 19 knots submerged; they have an estimated range of about 5,000 nautical miles and are thought to be able to stay submerged for between 30 and 55 days at a time if required.

• You can read more details on the Navantia website