The photos of the Spanish aircraft carrier 'Príncipe de Asturias' that are kept in the US

@DefAviation ES 6·28·2023 · 6:07 0

In a few months, on December 14, it will be ten years since the withdrawal from service of the "Príncipe de Asturias" R-11 aircraft carrier.

The Air Arm of the Spanish Navy in old photographs of the US National Archives
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That ship was the first aircraft carrier built in Spain, specifically in the Empresa Nacional Bazán shipyard in Ferrol. She had a shorter life than expected, as she was launched on May 2, 1982 and entered service on May 30, 1988, so she was only active for 25 years. Many of us have good memories of him, and not only in Spain. In the US National Archives and on the US Armed Forces multimedia portal DVIDS there are some beautiful photos of the R-11 when she was in service. You can see them below.

The "Príncipe de Asturias", in the foreground, sailing alongside the Italian aircraft carrier "Giuseppe Garibaldi" (C 551), which entered service in 1985, three years before the Spanish ship, but still continues in active. The photo was taken in the Mediterranean Sea on May 3, 1990, during the naval exercise Dragon Hammer 90 (photo: NARA).

Another image of the Dragon Hammer 90 exercise. We see the "Prince of Asturias" on the left. Sailing astern of it is the American amphibious assault ship USS Saipan (LHA-2). To her right we see the American aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69). Navigating to the right of it appears the Italian aircraft carrier "Giuseppe Garibaldi" and to the right of everything we see the British aircraft carrier HMS Invincible (R-05). The photo was taken in the Mediterranean Sea on May 3, 1990 (photo: NARA).

The "Príncipe de Asturias", in the foreground, together with three allied ships: the amphibious assault ship USS Wasp (LHD-1) and the aircraft carrier USS Forrestal (CV-59), both of the United States Navy, and the British aircraft carrier HMS Invincible. The photo was taken in the Mediterranean Sea on October 7, 1991 during exercise Display Determination 91 (photo: NARA).

Another photo of the same formation of ships in the previous image, seen from above (photo: NARA).

The same formation as the two previous photos, seen from the prows of their ships (photo: NARA).

A spectacular photo of the "Prince of Asturias" leading a formation of five wedge-shaped ships. In the foreground we see the Spanish frigates "Reina Sofía" F-84 and "Asturias" F-74, the latter sailing to the port side of the aircraft carrier. On the starboard side of the R-11 sailed the American destroyer USS Scott (DDG-995), of the Kidd class, and next to it the Fleet Tanker "Marqués de la Ensenada" (A-11), when it still had the name from "Mar del Norte". The photo was taken in the Mediterranean Sea on February 1, 1992 (photo: NARA).

Another photo of the same formation of ships that we saw in the previous image, seen from their sterns (photo: NARA).

The "Príncipe de Asturias" turning to port in the Mediterranean Sea during the Dragon Hammer 92 exercise. On its flight deck we see two AV-8S Matador fighters (the Spanish version of the original Harrier), three helicopters SH-3 Sea King (two with the old dark blue paint and one, in AEW version, with the new gray paint) and a Hughes 500 Cayuse. The photo was taken on 5 May 1992 (photo: NARA).

Another photo of the same maneuver of the "Príncipe de Asturias" during the Dragon Hammer 92 exercise. In this image we see something that was hidden by the island of the ship in the previous photo: three AV-8S Matador fighters on the aft part of the flight deck, one of them a TAV-8S two-seater. The photo was taken on 5 May 1992 (photo: NARA).

One more photo of the Dragon Hammer 92 exercise. We see the Italian aircraft carrier "Giuseppe Garibaldi" in the foreground and the "Príncipe de Asturias" in the background. On the flight deck we see four SH-3 Sea King helicopters. Behind them are two Harrier IIs. The photo was taken on 5 May 1992 in the Mediterranean Sea (photo: NARA).

The "Prince of Asturias" at the Rota Naval Base. Pictured is US Navy Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Gary Roughead (in white uniform) speaking with a US officer in beige uniform. The photo was taken on May 24, 2011 (photo: DVIDS).

Admiral Roughead reviewing sailors from Spain and the United States on the flight deck of the "Príncipe de Asturias", during a ceremony in which the American admiral was awarded the Grand Cross of Naval Merit of the Spain navy. The photo was taken on May 24, 2011 (photo: DVIDS).

Another image of the same ceremony, in which we see sailors from Spain and the US with their National Flags parading on the flight deck of the "Príncipe de Asturias" (photo: DVIDS).

The aircraft hangar of the "Príncipe de Asturias" , with sailors from Spain and the US after the decoration ceremony for Admiral Roughead (photo: DVIDS).

A photo from the same day, after the ceremony. We see several senior officers in the officers' room of the "Príncipe de Asturias". Next to the aforementioned Admiral Roughead (the first from the left) are Admiral General Manuel Rebollo, then Chief of Staff of the Spanish Navy; Admiral Santiago Bolíbar, then commander of the "Príncipe de Asturias"; and the then Captain Gregorio Bueno (photo: DVIDS).