Latest news with #SpanishNavy
New York Post
5 days ago
- General
- New York Post
Princess Leonor of Spain arrives in New York after five months at sea
Princess Leonor of Spain has touched down in the Big Apple! The 19-year-old royal arrived aboard a Spanish Navy training ship in New York City on Wednesday, dressed in a crisp white uniform adorned with black insignia. The Crown Princess — who is the heir to the Spanish throne, followed by her younger sister, Sofia — appeared in good spirits alongside fellow cadets as she saluted onlookers aboard the Juan Sebastián de Elcano. 6 Princess Leonor of Spain arrived aboard a Spanish Navy training ship in New York City on Wednesday. Stephen Lovekin/GTRES/Shutterstock Leonor, who had kick-started her military training in 2023, will not be returning to Spain via the ship. Instead, she will fly back and rejoin her peers in Gijón on July 7, EDATV News reports. The princess will join the Spanish Navy's guided missile frigate Blas de Lezo there, where she is set to undertake a key segment of her naval training. Over the past two years, Leonor has been undergoing training at the General Military Academy in Zaragoza. Later this year, she will begin Air Force training at the General Air Academy in Santiago de la Ribera to round out her military education. 6 The royal, 19, was dressed in a crisp white uniform adorned with black insignia. GTRES/Shutterstock In March 2023, the Spanish royal house announced that Leonor was set to undergo three years of military training. 'As in all parliamentary monarchies (the heir) has to have a military background and a military career,' Defense Minister Margarita Robles said at the time. Leonor completed her high school degree at UWC Atlantic College in Wales, UK that year. 6 The Crown Princess appeared in good spirits alongside fellow cadets while saluting onlookers. 'In due course, the commander-in-chief of the armed forces will be a woman, and in recent years we have been making a very important effort to incorporate women into the armed forces,' Robles added. The government and the Royal House have agreed that her 'very intense' military training will precede university studies, following in the footsteps of her father in the 1980s. The Spanish monarchy has been struggling to repair its image after a series of scandals over the past decade, mainly linked to the former king Juan Carlos, who abdicated in 2014 in favor of his son, King Felipe. 6 Over the past two years, Leonor has been undergoing training at the General Military Academy in Zaragoza. GTRES/Shutterstock Juan Carlos abdicated amid a tax fraud case involving members of the royal family and following a scandal over his elephant-hunting trip in Africa at a time when Spain was going through a deep recession. The former monarch has been living in Abu Dhabi since August 2020, when he left Spain after several investigations were opened in Spain and Switzerland into alleged fraud. The investigations have subsequently been dropped. Meanwhile, Leonor's parents King Felipe and Queen Letizia have also been rocked by drama after veteran journalist Jaime Peñafiel made a slew of shocking claims about the pair's marriage. 6 The princess and her fellow cadets arrived via the Juan Sebastián de Elcano. Getty Images Peñafiel, who has covered the royals for decades, claimed that Felipe was 'crushed and destroyed' over his wife's alleged infidelity with her ex-brother-in-law Jaime del Burgo. In his book 'Letizia's Silences,' released in May, Peñafiel claimed the king of Spain was 'aware that Letizia was cheating on him in real time' as her bodyguards must report on her whereabouts. The royal author alleges that bodyguards joined the queen on a trip to New York back in 2011, during which she was accompanied by her rumored 'lover' del Burgo. Letizia, 52, reportedly dated del Burgo before meeting King Felipe in 2002. Peñafiel alleged that the pair, who have been married since 2004, had a rocky relationship in the years before the alleged affair began. 6 Queen Letizia and King Felipe with their two daughters in Mallorca on July 31, 2023. AFP via Getty Images Del Burgo — who was married to Letizia's sister from 2012 to 2014 — has since claimed that he is still in touch with the Queen in an interview with Argentinian newspaper Clarín. 'We have shared many years of our lives together,' he told the outlet. 'We have been a family. As I have always said, ours was not a relationship of lovers. The lover would be him, in any case. I mean Felipe.'
Daily Mail
6 days ago
- General
- Daily Mail
Princess Leonor of Spain says 'hola' to the Big Apple as her Navy training ship docks in New York
Princess Leonor of Spain looked every inch a poised naval cadet as she arrived in New York on board a Spanish Navy training ship today. The 19-year-old Crown Princess of Spain, who began her military training two summers ago, blended in with her fellow cadets in a crisp white uniform complete with black insignia. The royal took her hat off and saluted onlookers as she stood proudly aboard the Juan Sebastián de Elcano as it arrived in the US. Standing shoulder-to-shoulder with her peers, the Princess appeared in great spirits as she beamed on arrival. With her long blonde hair neatly tucked back, Leonor blended seamlessly in. According to EDATV News, Princess Leonor will not continue the return trip to Spain. Instead, she will return by plane to board the Spanish Navy guided missile frigate Blas de Lezo, where she will complete an essential part of her naval training. However, on July 7, she is scheduled to reunite with the ship and her classmates in Gijón, Spain. After completing her stint at the General Military Academy in Zaragoza, Leonor is now gaining naval experience before moving on to air force training later this year. It follows heartwarming footage from last month that shows the Princess embracing her mother, Queen Letizia, after four months apart. The Spanish royals were reunited at the Port of Fuerte Amador in Panama City, after Letizia flew more than 8,000 miles across the globe to see her daughter. The pair had not seen each other since January, when the young royal set sail aboard the Juan Sebastian. Moving video from the Spanish Royal Household captured the moment they were finally reunited, with Leonor running across the port to greet her mother. She was soon embraced in an effusive hug that was so powerful that Leonor had to take her hat off, while the Queen had tears in her eyes. They were then pictured excitedly catching up, as Leonor, who previously graduated from UWC Atlantic, her independent boarding school in South Wales, has been on a whirlwind adventure. Letizia's visit to Panama was an unofficial trip, sources at Zarzuela Palace told Spain's Hola! Magazine. The royal took her hat off and saluted onlookers as she stood proudly aboard the Juan Sebastián de Elcano as it arrived in the US today After her arrival in New York, Princess Leonor will not continue the return trip to Spain with her classmates. Instead, she will return by plane to board the Spanish Navy guided missile frigate Blas de Lezo, where she will complete an essential part of her naval training And their moving reunion was made all the more special - as it was Mother's Day in Spain. While Leonor was smartly kitted out in her naval uniform, her mother had chosen to wear matching shades of white in casual jeans, T-shirt and white trainers. For the Crown Princess's training cruise, she is sailing through two oceans, and visiting 10 ports and eight countries in America, according to La Vanguardia. The Princess of Asturias, as she is also known, participated in a visit to Panama Viejo, took a short walk to the Cathedral Tower and visited several rooms of the Museum (of Panama Viejo), which has a commemorative plaque of the visit of His Majesty the King 2019. Leonor is following in the footsteps of her father King Felipe as well as her grandfather Juan Carlos, who all attended military training with every of the three armed services in the country. Navy Captain Pedro Cardona Suanzes, director-commandant of the Naval Military School in Marín, previously described the daily routine of the midshipmen to the Spanish newspaper La Vanguardia. He said that their life is 'non-stop' adding that there are constant tasks for them to do, from the minute they wake up until they go to bed in the evening. The captain said the day starts at 6.45am. They then shower, make their beds and go and get breakfast all before 7.30am - when their white uniforms are inspected to be 'spotless'. During the week, all students must be in bed before 10.45pm to ensure they get their full eight hours of sleep. On weekends, pupils are allowed to wake up two hours later than usual, at 8.45am and first-years are allowed to stay up until 1.30am in the morning. Before she started her three-year training, Leonor revealed her enthusiasm for becoming a cadet at the Princesa de Girona Foundation award ceremony in Girona last year. She said at the time: 'I have just finished high school and I am about to start a new stage with a period of military training. 'I am happy because I know how much the Spanish value our armed forces... it is an important moment in my life and I feel very excited and determined to continue learning and giving my best effort.'
Yahoo
28-01-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Spain Wants To Convert Its Aircraft Carrier For Drone Operations
Spain is the latest nation to look at introducing carrier-based drones, which it plans to integrate on its sole aircraft carrier, the Spanish Navy flagship Juan Carlos I. While it's unclear what kind of launch and recovery system will be added to the warship, should the studies prove successful, introducing carrier-based drones could help ensure the longer-term relevance of the vessel once its venerable EAV-8B+ Matador II attack jets head for retirement. Airbus and the Spanish shipbuilder Navantia today announced the signature of an agreement to explore the integration of the SIRTAP drone on the Juan Carlos I. 'This joint effort seeks to achieve a fully integrated system, ensuring complete compatibility between SIRTAP and the Juan Carlos I carrier, increasing its mission capabilities, operational flexibility, and the overall effectiveness of both platforms in diverse operational scenarios,' Airbus said in a statement. The current agreement seeks to ensure that the SIRTAP is fully interoperable with the Spanish flattop, not only in terms of flying to and from its flight deck but also being integrated into the carrier's SCOMBA combat management system. According to Airbus, the integration of the drone on the carrier will focus on separate areas of study, namely command and control (C2), combat system integration, and navigation support (including takeoff and landing operations). The Juan Carlos I is generally described as a landing helicopter dock (LHD), a type of amphibious assault ship. However, it also has a fixed-wing combat aircraft capability, with a 'ski jump' takeoff ramp on the bow for short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) operations. For this, it's equipped with the EAV-8B+ Matador II — equivalent to the U.S. Marine Corps AV-8B+ Harrier II — making it Spain's sole aircraft carrier. As for the SIRTAP, this was developed by Airbus as 'a high-end tactical unmanned aircraft system.' Spain became the launch customer for the drone in late 2023 and is currently due to receive nine systems — each comprising one ground control station and three aircraft. Providing that integration of the SIRTAP on the Juan Carlos I is successful, orders could well increase. The SIRTAP is primarily a surveillance platform, specifically designed to accommodate two payloads simultaneously: typically, an electro-optical turret and a multi-mission radar, as part of a 400-pound mission payload. The drone has an endurance of more than 20 hours. Even before today's announcement, Airbus was touting the overwater capabilities of the drone, highlighting missions including day/night and maritime intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR). While Airbus and Navantia haven't so far presented a timeline for the integration work, Airbus has released photos showing a SIRTAP mockup on the deck of the carrier, while it was in port. In the past, it's been reported that the first SIRTAP prototype — which is being built at the Airbus facility in Getafe, Spain — should take to the air before the end of this year. We also don't yet know how the companies envision carrier operations involving the SIRTAP. While the Juan Carlos I has a takeoff ramp, it doesn't have a catapult launch system or arrester cables. Most likely, the approach will parallel that being explored by Turkey. Parallels are especially likely since the Turkish Navy's 'drone carrier' Anadolu uses a design based on that of the Juan Carlos I. It also features a large open flight deck with a ramp at the bow. So far, the Bayraktar TB3 has successfully landed on and taken off from the Anadolu and there are plans for more capable drones to be embarked in the future. Turkey first announced plans to convert the Anadolu as a 'drone carrier' in 2023. Modifications to be carried out on the Turkish vessel included the addition of dedicated control stations, beyond-line-of-sight satellite communications terminals, a 'roller system' on the flight deck toward the bow to help launch uncrewed aircraft, an arresting gear system, and safety nets. In the initial videos showing the TB3 being tested aboard the Anadolu, two of which are embedded below, no launch or recovery systems were yet visible. It's also possible that Spain might opt for different solutions to make its carrier drone-compatible. Sevda kuşun kanadında.. TCG-ANADOLU'ya ilk iniş-kalkış..#BayraktarTB3 — Selçuk Bayraktar (@Selcuk) November 19, 2024 Regardless, having drones operate from the deck of the Juan Carlos I would be a big deal for the Spanish Navy. Unlike the Turkish TB3, which can carry small precision-guided missiles and bombs, as well as rockets and other munitions, the SIRTAP isn't currently planned to carry armament. Currently, Spain is likely to retire its EAV-8B jets from around 2030 to 2034. The only like-for-like replacement is the F-35B, but for a force of only 13 Matador IIs, this would likely be cost-prohibitive. Fielding an armed naval drone would be one option for the Spanish Navy to preserve its carrier-based fixed-wing strike capabilities. While the SIRTAP won't meet those requirements, it will at least provide very valuable experience in operating drones from a carrier. In this way, it could pave the way for Spain to acquire more advanced armed drones that could help replace the capabilities that are otherwise set to be lost when the EAV-8B is retired. Ultimately, other types of drones flying from the Juan Carlos I could attack certain targets on land and at sea, as well as conduct surveillance and reconnaissance missions. Even if an unarmed navalized drone, like the SIRTAP, could provide very welcome surveillance capabilities, helping build a recognized maritime picture that can be shared with other Spanish Navy and allied assets. As well as improving maritime situational awareness, the drone could also use its sensors for targeting. Potentially, the SIRTAP drones could also act as aerial network relay nodes and, depending on the type of radar fitted, possibly even serve as airborne early warning platforms. Previously, the Spanish Navy operated SH-3 Sea King helicopters adapted for airborne early warning, but these have long since been retired, with this capability being lost in the process. At this point, we still don't know for sure if Spain will adopt the SIRTAP for carrier operations, or even if it might end up selecting another drone for this emerging requirement. In the meantime, Spain joins a growing number of nations that are looking to add fixed-wing drones to their aviation-capable warships, with big-deck amphibious warfare ships being especially well suited to this. China is currently very much at the forefront of these endeavors, including developing advanced flying-wing UCAVs that can operate from carriers and other big-deck ships. The same country is also developing an entirely new class of super-sized amphibious assault ships that are very likely optimized for drone operations. In the United Kingdom, the Royal Navy has begun demonstrating its ability to launch and recover drones from flattops, including the General Dynamics Mojave, which head operated from the aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales. This is part of a wider effort to expand the Royal Navy's uncrewed naval aviation capabilities. Late last year, a Gray Eagle STOL drone was successfully launched from South Korea's Dokdo amphibious assault ship as part of another demonstration but recovered at a base on land. You can read more about those trials here. Meanwhile, as well as the Mojave and Gray Eagle, General Atomics is also offering a derivative of its MQ-9 Reaper that can operate from big-deck ships, as well as a carrier-capable member of its highly modular Gambit family of uncrewed aircraft. Recently, General Atomics also pitched a version of its Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) for installation on a variety of naval vessels, allowing them to launch drones. These included the U.K. Royal Navy's Type 45 destroyer and the U.S. Navy's Expeditionary Sea Base. Previously, General Atomics had also offered similar EMALS solutions to launch drones from the U.K. Royal Navy's Queen Elizabeth class and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force's Izumo class carriers. Among the other countries now exploring fixed-wing naval drone capabilities is Japan, while Spain's neighbor, Portugal, has also ordered a new 'multi-purpose vessel' that will be able to operate drones. These will help it fulfill a range of missions, including oceanic research, search and rescue, emergency relief, and naval support operations. As TWZ has noted before, the U.S. Navy has been somewhat slow on the uptake, although the MQ-25 Stingray tanker drone is set to become its first operational advanced uncrewed carrier-based aircraft. The MQ-25 will have a secondary surveillance and reconnaissance capability, and there remains a possibility that it will eventually add new roles, including stand-off strike, in the future. At the same time, the U.S. Navy is now working to install new dedicated drone control centers on its carriers, as part of a broader effort to help it realize its own larger uncrewed naval aviation plans. The U.S. Navy service has said that it plans for its carrier air wings to eventually become at least 60 percent pilotless. Now, there is something of a race on, to see which navy fields the first operational 'drone carrier.' While it won't be the first to achieve this, it's notable that Spain is now looking to field these kinds of capabilities on the Juan Carlos I. Integrating drones, especially more advanced ones, could potentially provide the flagship with a vital new mission, and a rejuvenated air wing, especially once the EAV-8B Matador II is retired. Contact the author: thomas@
