The Diplomat
The Princess of Asturias, yesterday in Cartagena, acted as Lady who launched the S-81 ‘Isaac Peral’ submarine, the first of Navantia’s S-80 series, destined for the Spanish Navy, and one of the most advanced submarines in the world.
The ceremony, presided over by Their Majesties the King and Queen of Spain, took place at the shipyard’s dock in the Cartagena shipyard, and was also attended by the Infanta Sofía, the Minister of Defence, Margarita Robles; the President of the Community of Murcia, Fernando López Miras; the State Secretary for Global Spain, Manuel Muñiz; the President of the Sociedad Estatal de Participaciones Industriales, Belén Gualda; and the President of Navantia, Ricardo Domínguez.
Also present were authorities from the Ministry of Defence, including the Chief of Staff of the Navy, Antonio Martorell; and the ambassadors in Spain of Morocco, India, Greece, Australia and Canada.
Before the ceremony, Their Majesties the King and Queen and Their Royal Highnesses visited the shipyard’s engineering plant and the Virtual Design Centre (CDV), where they were able to take a virtual tour of the submarine.
Afterwards, they attended the screening of a video on the centenary of the launching of the first submarine at Navantia’s facilities, and the President of Navantia, the Chief of the Naval General Staff and the Minister of Defence gave speeches.
Ricardo Domínguez pointed out that the programme “offers the Spanish industrial fabric and particularly Navantia an enormous international projection and opportunities in other countries” and that the company hopes to repeat with it the successes achieved with the F-100 and with the ‘LHD’ amphibious ships.
For his part, Admiral Martorell said that “the submarine is proof of Spain’s industrial capacity and its firm commitment to technological innovation”. He added that “the S-80 provides the Navy, together with the projection capacity represented by the trident of amphibious ships, marine infantry and embarked aviation, the escorts and the maritime action force, the means that make it relevant in the international context”.
Finally, Margarita Robles said that it was a “historic day for Spain”, stressing that the submarine, which she described as a “masterpiece”, is “science, innovation, technology, it is the future”.
After the speeches, Doña Leonor cut the ribbon activating the mechanism by which the S-81 received the impact of a bottle, as established by maritime ceremonial, and was blessed by the chaplain.
The ceremony concluded with the national anthem and a snapshot of the King and Queen and their daughters next to the submarine and a second group photograph with the keel crew of the S-81 submarine.
