Spain Launches New Navy Frigate Roger de Lauria
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Spain's navy has a new frigate called the F-112 Roger de Lauria. A frigate is a fast military ship used for defence and combat at sea.
The ship was built by Navantia, a Spanish company that designs and builds ships for the national navy. Navantia has worked on this project for several years.
The Roger de Lauria belongs to a new class of ships known as the F110. These frigates are described as a major step forward for Spain's naval forces.
Each F110 frigate weighs about 7,000 tonnes, making it one of the larger ships in the Spanish fleet.
One of the most notable features is its weapons system. The frigate is equipped with laser weapons, which use focused light to destroy or disable targets.
It can also launch PAC-3 missiles, a type of advanced missile used for defence against aerial threats.
The ship's official event, called a launch or botadura in Spanish, marks the moment a new ship enters the water for the first time.
News reports shared images from the launch ceremony of the F-112 Roger de Lauria, showing the large new vessel.
The navy has linked this new ship to a long naval tradition, pointing to about 800 years of history connected to the name Roger de Lauria, a historical naval commander.
Officials have described the project as combining centuries of tradition with modern strategic innovation for Spain's defence capabilities.
Vocabulary9 words
- frigate
- a fast ship used by a navy for war or defence
- Navantia
- a Spanish company that builds military ships
- navy
- the military force that operates at sea
- tonnes
- a unit used to measure heavy weight
- laser weapons
- weapons that use strong light to hit a target
- PAC-3 missiles
- advanced flying weapons used to stop attacks from the air
- launch
- the event when a new ship enters the water for the first time
- naval tradition
- long-standing customs and history connected to a navy
- strategic innovation
- new ideas or technology that improve how something important is planned or done
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Quiz
Answer key
1. A frigate 2. Laser weapons 3. True
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Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
Spain's navy has a new frigate called the _____.
The ship was built by _____, a Spanish company.
The Roger de Lauria belongs to a new class of ships known as the _____.
Each F110 frigate weighs about _____ tonnes.
The frigate is equipped with _____ weapons.
It can also launch _____ missiles.
The ship's official event is called a _____.
The navy has linked this new ship to about _____ years of history.
The name Roger de Lauria refers to a historical naval _____.
Officials describe the project as combining tradition with modern strategic _____.
Discussion questions
- Why do countries build new warships like the Roger de Lauria?
- What might be the advantages of laser weapons compared to traditional weapons?
- Why do navies sometimes name ships after historical figures?
- What do you think 'strategic innovation' means in a military context?
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