The Spanish naval group Navantia presented the future SMART 8000 heavy destroyer which will replace the Álvara de Bazan anti-aircraft destroyers within the Spanish Navy over the next decade.
Only a few years ago, the majority of European and world fleets aimed to develop surface combatants, corvettes, frigates and destroyers, more compact than the previous generation, so as to reduce construction costs. but also of implementation, with an obvious objective of repeating the format of the crews.
For some time now, however, everything indicates that the admiralties have taken a big step towards more imposing surface ships. The phenomenon originated in the Pacific, with the Chinese Type 055 heavy destroyers, Kongo and Japanese derivatives and South Korean Sejon le grand, all close to or exceeding 10,000 tons, compared to 5,000 or 6,000 tons, or even much less, for the ships. which they replace.
It is now the turn of Europeans to embark on this trajectory. First with the future Italian DDX heavy destroyers which must exceed 10,000 tonnes compared to 5,500 tonnes for the Durand de la Penne anti-aircraft destroyers which they will replace at the end of the decade.
Germany, Turkey and Great Britain have also announced the development of large destroyers flirting with 10,000 tonnes, with respectively the F127 frigates , the TF-2000 destroyers and the Type 83 anti-aircraft destroyers .
It seems that the same will be true of Spain. Indeed, the Spanish naval group Navantia presented the SMART 8000 heavy destroyer , a concept anchored in the series of new generation SMART surface combatants, which the industrialist intends to see selected by the Spanish Navy in the years to come to replace the 6,400-ton Álvara de Bazan anti-aircraft destroyers which entered service between 2002 and 2012, and which will therefore have to be replaced over the next decade.
The 170 meter and 10,000 ton ship is characterized by its very refined lines optimized for enhanced stealth, even the vertical launch systems and the cannon seeming to be able to be hidden if necessary so as to remove any roughness, its inverted bow inspired by French FDI frigates and a very large aviation platform representing a third of the ship alone.
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