Spanish frigate Blas de Lezo (F103)

Blas de Lezo (F-103) is a Spanish Navy guided missile frigate of the Alvaro de Bazan (F100) class. This is the third ship of the F-100 class of air defense frigates in the Spanish Navy. It was named after the 18th century Spanish Admiral Blas de Lezo. The ship was built by Izar Shipbuilding in Ferrol, Spain and originally entered into service in 2004.

Operational history
May 16, 2003: The frigate Blas de Lezo was launched. This was the same day that construction of the frigate Méndez Núñez began.

September 7-11, 2004: Blas de Lezo conducted her sea tests.

December 16, 2004: Delivered to Spanish Navy.

September 2005: Conducted missile launching tests (CSSQT) in the United States with the American destroyers USS Howard (DDG-83) and USS Halsey (DDG-97).

2007: Blas de Lezo joined the combat group of French nuclear aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle for two months. She subsequently had an accident on September 25, 2007 during the NATO Neptune Warrior exercises in Scotland. Luckily, there were no injuries. An emergency repair was carried out at the Navantia-Ferrol facility in Fene, Spain. Then she headed out to Denmark where she took over the command of Permanent Naval Group No. 1 of NATO6 (SNMG-1). In this group, she replaced the Alvaro de Bazán.

April 2009 onwards: Along with other vessels of NATO Permanent Naval Group No. 1, she participated in NATO's Allied Protector operation to combat piracy in the waters of the Gulf of Aden and the Horn of Africa.

July 4, 2009: During the course of an operation, the crew boarded two vessels suspected of piracy after receiving a warning of attack by the Liberian merchant United Lady.

April 9, 2012: She sailed from Ferrol, Spain towards the east coast of the United States to integrate into Task Force 8 of the United States Navy. She was integrated by the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, a Ticonderoga class cruiser, and three Arleigh Burke-class destroyers with whom she trained. Following this drill, she became part of an international group aimed at combating drug trafficking in the Caribbean Sea.

May 31, 2012: She returned to her base in Ferrol.

June 11, 2013: Blas de Lezo sailed from the Naval Station of Rota to take command of NATO Permanent Group No. 2 (SNMG-2) based in Aksaz, Turkey, where she arrived on June 15. In the course of this deployment, she participated in Ocean Shield, an anti-piracy operation in the Indian Ocean, and Active Endeavor in the fight against terrorism in the Mediterranean.

July 26, 2013: She was showcased in Istanbul for The General Directorate of Armaments, Materials of Turkey, and the Navy of Turkey to support Navantia's options in securing a contract for the manufacture of several frigates for Turkey.

Early August, 2013: Returned to base for maintenance.

August 29, 2013: She departed for the port of Malaga to start the second phase of her deployment which included the participation on the international exercise Brilliant Mariner 2013.

October 13, 2013: Relieved in Barcelona by Álvaro de Bazán.

July 11, 2014: The Cristóbal Colón frigate returned from Operation Atalanta, while the remaining four ships of the F-100 class were based in Ferrol. For the first time, the five F-100 frigates conducted joint training exercises as part of the 31st Escorted Squadron.

June 28, 2015: Blas de Lezo received her combat flag in Guecho, offered by the Royal Maritime Club of Abra and the Sports Club; sponsored by Ana of Orleans, Duchess of Calabria.

October 2015: Early in the month, she participated in exercises of International Joint Ventures in Scottish waters; followed by participation in the multinational exercises Trident Juncture 2015, which took place in Spain, Italy and Portugal.