Navantia on March 30 launched the Maritime Action Ship (Buque de Acción Marítima, BAM) «Audaz» (P-45) for the Spanish navy at its San Fernando shipyard. The ceremony was sponsored by Defense Minister María Dolores de Cospedal García. The construction of the BAM, until its delivery in 2018, involves 1.1 million hours of work for Navantia sites in the Bay of Cádiz.
In addition to the Minister of Defense, the launching ceremony was attended by, among others, the Minister of Economy and Knowledge of the Junta de Andalucía, Antonio Ramírez de Arellano; the mayor of San Fernando, Patricia Cavada Montañés; Chief of Staff of the Navy, Admiral Jaime Muñoz-Delgado y Díaz del Río; the president of SEPI, Pilar Platero Sanz, and the president of Navantia, José Manuel Revuelta Lapique.
This ship is the fifth of this type to be built, and the first of the second batch that Navantia contracted with the Spanish Navy, according to the Order of Execution signed on December 5, 2014. Navantia commissioned the lead ship of the first batch in 2006, which was completed in 2012 with the construction and delivery to the Spanish Navy of four BAMs, named Meteoro (P-41), Rayo (P-42), Relámpago (P-43) and Tornado (P-44). These vessels have successfully participated in numerous national and international operations.
The construction of this ship means 1.1 million hours of work for Navantia Bahía de Cádiz, both for the company’s own staff and for the auxiliary industry. Likewise, and with a similar workload, the Navantia shipyards in the Ría de Ferrol are building the sixth BAM, «Furor» (P-46), which will be launched soon. The «Audaz» (P-45) and the «Furor» (P-46) will enter service from 2018. The keel-laying of the BAM «Audaz» (P-45) took place on April 29, 2016; it is the third vessel of the Spanish Navy to receive this name.
The BAMs are modern ships with advanced technology, and combine moderate size, high performance, great versatility in terms of missions, high level of commonality with other ships of the Navy and reduced acquisition and life-cycle costs.
They will incorporate all measures regarding MARPOL environmental regulations, such as new propulsion, auxiliary and emergency engines, as well as the TAR wastewater treatment plant.
It will also incorporate improvements aimed at reducing weight, new equipment derived from obsolescence, suitability for a larger load and the application of updated regulations on prevention and operational safety.
Its main missions are:
- Protection and escort of other ships;
- Control of maritime traffic;
- Control and neutralization of terrorist actions and piracy;
- Operations against drug trafficking and trafficking in persons;
- Maritime Rescue and Rescue Operations;
- Support for crisis situations and humanitarian aid;
- Control of fisheries legislation;
- Control of environmental and anti-pollution legislation.