The Warzone/The Drive: Oops! The Spanish Navy Is Constructing New Submarines That Are Too Big For Their Pens
Spain will likely have to spend millions of dollars to build a proper home for the boats, which have already suffered years of problems and delays.
Spain’s diesel-electric S-80 Plus submarine program has hit a new snag, with the boats now reportedly being too big for the existing pens at the Spanish Navy’s base in Cartagena. It could take millions of dollars to improve the facilities and the issue underscores the hurdles the country and many of its fellow NATO members face in attempting to revitalize their military capabilities after years of post-Cold War neglect.
Spanish newspaper El País was first to report on the new developments on July 18, 2018. The outlet included graphics highlighting that the docks at Cartagena are just shy of 256 feet long, while the S-80 Plus is over 265 feet long. The report also said that Spanish authorities would have to dredge out the pens to accommodate the new boats, which are larger overall compared to the country’s existing S-70 Galerna-class submarines, with the complete upgrades to the facilities costing more than $18 million.
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More News On Spain's New Sub Being Too Big For Its Dock
Sub-standard: £900million Spanish submarine that was too heavy to sail is now too big for its dock after it was made longer to fix the problem -- Daily Mail
Spain's new submarine 'too big for its dock' -- BBC
Once Too Heavy, Now Too Big. Spain's New Sub Can't Fit in Dock. -- The New York Times
Too long to fit: launch of new Spanish sub runs aground -- The Guardian
