Juan Carlos I (L61)
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 U.S. Secretary of the Navy Donald C. Winter takes a tour of the SPS Juan Carlos I at Navatia Ferrol Shipyard |
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| Career |  |
|---|---|
| Name: | Juan Carlos I |
| Ordered: | 2003 |
| Builder: | Navantia Ferrol, Spain |
| Laid down: | 2005 |
| Launched: | 10th March 2008 |
| Commissioned: | Expected in 2008 |
| General characteristics | |
| Displacement: | 27,079 tonnes |
| Length: | 230.8 m |
| Beam: | 32.0 m |
| Draught: | 7.18 m |
| Propulsion: | Gas turbines Electrical (pods) |
| Speed: | 21 knots |
| Range: | 9,000 nm at 15 knots (28 km/h) |
| Boats and landing craft carried: |
Four LCM |
| Capacity: | Amphibious assault force: 902 plus up to 46 Leopard 2 tanks |
| Complement: | Crew: 243 Air wing: 172 |
| Aircraft carried: | Up to 30 aircraft[citation needed] |
Juan Carlos I (L61) — a strategic projection vessel (Buque de Proyección Estratégica (BPE)), — is a planned multipurpose warship for the Spanish Navy (Armada Española), similar to American LHDs of the "Wasp" class. The concept was approved in September 2003 and Navantia (formerly part of the Izar shipyards in Ferrol) began construction of the 231-metre 27,000-ton V/STOL aircraft carrier and amphibious assault ship in 2005. The vessel was launched 10 March 2008.[1], and she will be delivered to the Navy in 2008. The vessel is named in honour of Juan Carlos I, the current King of Spain.
The construction is in a historical frame characterized by the increasing budgets and the gradual assumption of international responsibilities on the part of Spain. The new vessel is to play an important role in the Fleet. A platform that not only supports the mobility of the Marines (probably it will replace the "cornudas", L-41 Hernán Cortés and L-42 Pizarro (Newport-class LSTs), but that will possibly act as a platform for carrier-based aviation, and the strategic transport of ground forces as required.
The capacity of the ship will be of around 900 naval personnel, with equipment and support elements for 1,200 soldiers. Multi-functional garage and hangar space on two levels of 6,000 m², with capacity for 6,000 tonnes load each. A stern dock being able to lodge up to four LCM-1e boats or one LCAC.
If used as an aircraft carrier the vessel will have a flight deck of 202 metres with 'ski-jump', and eight points for Harrier, JSF or medium helicopters, or four points for heavy helicopters of the CH-47 Chinook type. She can carry up to 30[citation needed] Harrier IIs in the aircraft carrier mode, using the light vehicles bay as storage zone.[citation needed]
For the first time in the Spanish Navy, the ship will use diesel-electrical propulsion, simultaneously connecting both diesels and the new technology gas turbine to a pair of azimuthal pods.
Construction started in May 2005 simultaneously in Ferrol (with the cut of the first plate corresponding to Block 320) and in Fene (with the cut of the first plate corresponding to Block 330). The ship, that supposes a service load of 3,100,000 hours of production and 775,000 hours of engineering, was launched in March 2008 and is planned to be commissioned in December 2011.
Following a lengthy design contest that pitted the design against the similar but smaller French Mistral class of ships, the Prime Minister of Australia announced on Wednesday 20 June 2007, that Australia would purchase and build two ships of the same design (to become the Canberra-class Landing Helicopter Docks). Work for these two ships is expected to be performed in Australia by Tenix Defence with the balance in Spain and other countries.
