Spanish Navy's largest warship, 'Juan Carlos I', opens to visitors at Malaga Port

The ship is hosting two open days this weekend so that visitors can see its facilities for themselves. The scheduled visiting hours for the ship are from 3.30pm to 6pm on Saturday, 7 November, and from 10am to 1pm on Sunday, 8 November.

The 'Juan Carlos I' (whose Nato designation is LHD, Landing Helicopter Dock) is the flagship of the Spanish Navy and the largest warship built entirely in Spain. Its multi-purpose design enables it to adapt to four main mission profiles: amphibious assault ship, aviation platform, command and control vessel and support unit for humanitarian aid or disaster relief.

With a displacement of 26,000 tonnes, a length of 231 metres and a beam of 32 metres, the vessel has a crew of 295. Depending on the nature of its mission, its transport capacity varies considerably.

Air capacity: It can carry up to 30 aircraft, combining medium helicopters (such as the NH-90) and heavy helicopters (such as the Chinook) in amphibious operations; or between ten and 12 fighter aircraft (such as the Harrier / AV-8B) alongside a similar number of helicopters when operating as an aircraft carrier.

Amphibious and transport capacity: It is designed to accommodate a Marine Corps force, often drawn from the Tercio de Armada de San Fernando (Cadiz), with a total transport capacity of up to 1,500 people. For landing operations, the ship operates with LCM-type craft and can transport a substantial fleet of land vehicles and main battle tanks (such as Leopard tanks and armoured vehicles).

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