New Spanish submarines to be fitted with Exail navigation system
The S-80A SSK design for the Spanish Navy is based on the Franco-Spanish S-80 Scorpene. (Image: Exail)
Spain’s S-80A or Isaac Peral-class SSKs are being built to replace the Spanish Navy’s existing Agosta 90B-class SSKs which were designed in the 1970s and built in the mid-1980s. The original S-80 programme has suffered considerable delays, with the first S-80s only entering service in late-2023.
Exail has been awarded a contract by Navantia to supply its Gecdis-W Warship Electronic Chart Display and Information System (WECDIS) for the four Spanish Navy Isaac Peral-class S-80 Plus-class submarines.
The integration of Exail Gecdis-W system has been designed to enhance the submarines’ capabilities, supporting the crew with electronic navigational charts.
ECDIS software is IMO-certified and fully compliant with NATO’s STANAG standards. The Gecdis-W system will serve as a cooperative navigational asset for the Spanish Navy during sea-based military operations.
Related Articles
Spanish Navy still waits for new submarines
Spain says farewell to the last of its Galerna-class submarines
Alexandre Maia, regional sales manager for Exail, said: “[The system] is aligned with the S-80 submarines’ core design objectives of stealth, endurance and operational flexibility in remote and potentially hostile areas.
“The WECDIS system is set to contribute to the operational effectiveness and safety in submarine navigation within challenging underwater environments.”
Exail has already been selected to equip all of the platforms of the French Navy, as well as platforms of the navies of Latvia, India, Greece, the UAE and New Zealand, with naval navigation systems.
Of the four boats only the first has been commissioned, Isaac Peral (S-81). The second, Narciso (S-82), will be expected to be commissioned later this year, with the following two scheduled for 2026 and 2027.
In February 2024, during a conference organised by El Confidencial, Admiral Ricardo Hernandez, head of Logistic Support of the Spanish Navy, stated that one of the main targets of the next decade was to procure two more S-80s despite budgetary hurdles.
Related Programmes in Defence Insight
Isaac Peral Class (S-80A Plus) [Spain]
Related Equipment in Defence Insight
You may also like
More from Naval Warfare
-
![The Philippines strengthens maritime defences amid rising tensions in South China Sea]()
The Philippines strengthens maritime defences amid rising tensions in South China Sea
The Philippine Navy is fast-tracking its maritime modernisation with new warships, unmanned platforms, and international shipbuilding partnerships to bolster its regional deterrence posture.
-
![Taiwan multiplies mine-layer vessel and UAV inventories to deter PLA]()
Taiwan multiplies mine-layer vessel and UAV inventories to deter PLA
Taiwan is strengthening its deterrence against the PLA through an asymmetric arsenal that includes fast mine-laying vessels and domestically developed UAVs.
-
![L3Harris expands footprint across Europe via Everest NL and new contracts]()
L3Harris expands footprint across Europe via Everest NL and new contracts
L3Harris is targeting European naval modernisation with new uncrewed surface vessels, SATCOM partnerships, and regional investments including defence exercises and facility openings.
-
![Interview: DSTA collaborates with Leonardo, Thales and Safran for naval C-UAS]()
Interview: DSTA collaborates with Leonardo, Thales and Safran for naval C-UAS
In an exclusive interview with Shephard, DSTA chief Ng Chad-son outlines how the agency is reshaping defence tech development through deeper collaboration with industry partners, from AI-enhanced radar to smart naval munitions.
-
![BAE Systems to collaborate with Umoe Mandal on Type 26 frigate and Littoral Strike Craft]()
BAE Systems to collaborate with Umoe Mandal on Type 26 frigate and Littoral Strike Craft
The agreement is intended to boost opportunities for both UK and Norwegian naval shipbuilding.
