The S-81 ‘Isaac Peral’ submarine carried out its first static immersion this Thursday, within the test schedule agreed between Navantia, the Spanish Navy, and the Spanish Ministry of Defence. This is the static dive which has allowed the submarine’s displacement to be verified, the transverse and longitudinal stability to be determined and the resulting draughts. The test was carried out in the waters of the La Algameca naval station, opposite the Navy’s Diving Centre. It forms part of the safety milestones in the construction and testing of the S-80 submarine programme and is carried out after surface navigation and prior to submerged navigations.
“With its first static dive, the S-81 has passed a key milestone on the way to its full operational capability. The close collaboration between Navantia, the Navy and the Ministry of Defence is making it possible to make steady progress in the greatest challenge ever faced by Spanish industry. The first dive we have witnessed today is the result of the efforts of many professionals, so I would like to thank all the people involved in the programme for their dedication and commitment to ensure its success and congratulate them on this important step,” Ricardo Domínguez, President of Navantia said.
The test, which lasted eight hours, was divided into three phases. During the first and last phases, the draughts were measured at Navantia‘s armament dock, while the central phase took place in the open sea, close to the 50-metre buoy located in front of the Navy’s Diving Centre in La Algameca. Once the location was reached, the displacement, transverse stability and longitudinal stability measurement tests were carried out. Tests on the Isaac Peral S-81 submarine will continue until it is delivered to the Navy.
The S-80 Plus class or Isaac Peral class is a Spanish class of four submarines—late-1990s design, initial production order in 2003, redesign/rebuild mid-2010s, and currently in production—being built by the state-owned Spanish company Navantia at its Cartagena shipyard for the Spanish Navy. They feature air-independent propulsion. The lead boat in the class, the Isaac Peral, the first unit in the series, was launched by King Felipe VI and his daughter, Princess Leonor, heir to the throne, on 22 April 2021 at the Cartagena shipyards, with plans to enter service in 2023. The remaining three boats are slated to be delivered in 2024, 2026 and 2028.
