Spanish frigate Almirante Juan de Borbón will set sail tomorrow from Ferrol to deploy as flagship of NATO’s Standing Naval Group 1 (SNMG-1).
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Press Release, Madrid, 10 January 2026: The frigate Almirante Juan de Borbón will set sail tomorrow from Ferrol Naval Base to begin its international deployment as the flagship of NATO’s Standing Naval Group 1 (SNMG-1). The deployment follows the achievement of the highest level of operational certification, which confirms the ship’s full capability to integrate into and lead multinational forces in complex scenarios.
SNMG-1 is one of the standing naval forces of the Atlantic Alliance and operates primarily in the waters of Northern Europe, with missions focused on deterrence, collective defence, naval presence, and strengthening interoperability among allied navies, in a particularly demanding strategic context.
For the next few months, the Staff of the Task Force will operate from the Spanish frigate. COMSNMG-1, composed primarily of Spanish personnel, will be led by Rear Admiral Joaquín Ruiz Escagedo. The official change of command is scheduled to take place in the coming days in the port of Den Helder, Netherlands.
The ship’s commanding officer, Commander Miguel Romero, emphasised that “the crew is facing this challenge with professionalism and a strong sense of responsibility,” underlining that “assuming the role of flagship of a multinational task force entails greater operational demands on a daily basis, especially in planning, coordination, and communications, but the frigate and its crew are fully prepared.” He added that “the integration of the Staff on board will proceed smoothly and demonstrates the Armada’s ability to exercise command within the allied sphere.”
The contribution of F-100 class frigates to NATO’s Standing Naval Groups is part of a long-standing commitment. In the words of the Commander of the 31st Surface Squadron (COMANDES-31), Captain Jesús González-Cela, from Ferrol: “The first Spanish frigate to participate in a Standing Naval Group was precisely the Almirante Juan de Borbón in 2005, joining SNMG-2 in the Mediterranean, coinciding with the creation of these standing groups.” Since then, he explained, “Spain, through its Armada, has routinely participated in these naval forces for the last few decades.”
Highest Level of Operational Certification: The current deployment has involved a demanding period of preparation and training. According to the ship’s commanding officer, “the process is very demanding, requiring maintaining a high level of readiness in all areas of the ship simultaneously,” a certification that “attests to the frigate’s ability to operate in complex scenarios, integrate into multinational forces, and assume command responsibilities.”
From an operational standpoint, serving as the flagship represents an additional level of demand. COMANDES-31 said that “commanding a naval group requires an embarked Staff, which implies greater responsibility and the need for additional accommodation areas, as well as appropriate command and control systems.”
To fulfil the mission, in addition to its organic crew, the frigate has embarked an Air Unit (UNAEMB) from the Armada’s 10th Aircraft Squadron, namely an SH-60B helicopter, as well as a Marine Corps Operational Security Team (EOS).
Interoperability is one of the fundamental pillars of NATO’s standing naval groups. In this regard, the Commander of the 31st Surface Squadron emphasised that “the operational readiness and unit certification process carried out by the Armada, along with participation in international exercises, ensures that the crews are capable of effectively leading multinational forces.”
Apart from the operational dimension of the deployment, these missions have a significant institutional impact. According to González-Cela, “commanding these forces entails a higher level of commitment that brings considerable prestige within NATO, something of which Spanish society can be very proud.”
About the frigate Almirante Juan de Borbón: The frigate Almirante Juan de Borbón is the second unit of the Álvaro de Bazán (F-100) class and is part of the 31st Surface Squadron. Considered one of the most advanced escort vessels in Europe, it is equipped with the AEGIS combat system, which provides outstanding anti-air warfare capabilities, as well as a wide variety of assets against surface and submarine threats. The ship can operate effectively in high, medium, and low-intensity scenarios and participate in crisis prevention, humanitarian aid, and naval embargo missions, among others. During this deployment, the ship’s crew consists of 228 men and women, and is scheduled to return to its Ferrol home port by early April.
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