After 43 years of service in the Spanish Armada, initially as a powerful combat frigate and for the last 20 years only lightly armed as a patrol vessel (OPV), the "Infanta Elena" (Princess Helena, eldest daughter of Juan Carlos I) will now also retire from active service in mid-March as the penultimate unit of the "Descubierta" class.

She was the third ship of this class, built in Cartagena at the Navantia shipyard, which at that time still bore the proud name "Empresa Nacional Bazán de Construcciones Navales Militares" carried. The fourth "Descubierta" frigate was then named after Christina, the younger sister of the reigning King of Spain. Of the original six units, only these two are still in service, the other four having been melted down and recycled years ago.

Royal duties

Of course, the ships named after the royal family have to serve the longest - but even princesses age! This also applies to the aircraft carrier "Principe de Asturias" (1989 to 2013) named after the heir to the throne - also built by Bazán - which fell victim to the Turkish cutting torches a good six years ago. However, the namesake is now also King of Spain as Felipe VI.