ESPAÑA class battleship

In 1909, the Spanish Navy initiated a reorganization and modernization plan known as the “Maura-Ferrándiz Fleet Plan of 1908.” This ambitious plan envisioned the renovation and upgrading of several naval arsenals and the construction of approximately 50 new ships, including battleships, cruisers, destroyers, gunboats, patrol boats, and support vessels. Among these, the construction of the three España-class dreadnought type battleships stood out. These three ships entered service between 1913 and 1921 due to problems during construction and the outbreak of World War I. Despite being the smallest Dreadnought battleships ever built, the ships were powerfully armed and provided sufficient protection for Spanish needs, although they could not be compared to contemporary ships of other navies. The careers of the three ships cannot be described as brilliant despite all having been sunk in action, but they provided valuable support services to the ground forces during the Rif War. The España-class were the last battleships to serve with the Spanish Navy.

ESPAÑA class gallery 1 and more info

ESPAÑA class gallery 2 and more info