The ceremony was presided over by Spain’s Minister of Defence Margarita Robles, with Isabel López, spouse of the Chief of Defence Admiral Teodoro López Calderón, acting as the vessel’s sponsor. The event took place beside the facility where the submarine completed its final outfitting stage, ahead of its launch into the water in the coming weeks.
The submarine will subsequently undergo harbour and sea trials, which include surface navigation and submersion tests at maximum depth. These milestones mark further progress in the S-80 programme, regarded as central to Spain’s naval capability and industrial independence.
The event was attended by senior defence and naval officials, including Admiral Teodoro López Calderón, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral General Antonio Piñeiro Sánchez, Secretary of State for Defence Amparo Valcarce, and Navantia COO Gonzalo Mateo-Guerrero.
Navantia Submarine Business Director Agustín Álvarez welcomed attendees and acknowledged the contribution of Navantia employees and partner companies.
Navantia COO Gonzalo Mateo-Guerrero said:
“The S-80 programme is a direct contribution to defence, sovereignty, and the international projection of our industry. We are honoured to continue building capabilities that strengthen the security of Spain and our allies. It has industrial, strategic, commercial, and defence significance. Industrially, it drives the modernisation of processes and technologies; strategically, it provides a technological advantage, reinforcing national security and sovereignty; commercially, it opens export opportunities; and in terms of defence, it contributes to the protection of national interests.”
Admiral General Antonio Piñeiro Sánchez, Chief of Naval Staff, emphasised the strategic role of the submarine force:
“The submarine is the ultimate deterrent: discreet and lethal. Its mere presence contributes to sea control and denies the opponent freedom of manoeuvre. The Submarine Force is a capability the Navy has maintained for over a hundred years, and is now exponentially enhanced with the S-80 submarines.”
Minister of Defence Margarita Robles described the programme as:
“the continuation of a path of success, hard work, progress, and future — aimed at strengthening our Navy, Cartagena, the Region of Murcia, and, above all, Spain.”
Ship sponsor Isabel López also expressed her gratitude, calling the occasion “a historic milestone for Cartagena.”
The submarine is named after Narciso Monturiol Estarriol (1819–1885), a Spanish engineer, inventor, and politician recognised as a pioneer of submarine navigation. He designed the Ictíneo, launched in Barcelona in 1859, which achieved a submerged endurance of more than two hours at 20 metres depth during public trials.About the S-80 programme
The S-80 submarines measure 80.8 metres in length, with a diameter of 7.3 metres and a submerged displacement of approximately 3,000 tonnes. They are equipped with a combat and platform control system developed by Navantia and the BEST-AIP anaerobic propulsion system, which allows the generation of power through fuel cells and enables extended submerged endurance without surfacing.
The programme involves more than 100 partner companies and sustains over 6,000 jobs. It is estimated to generate an annual contribution of more than €250 million to Spain’s GDP.