SPS Cantabria ( A15 ) SPS " Cantabria " ( A15 ) is a replenishment oiler operated by the Spanish Navy . Acquired to provide logistical support for the Spanish fleet , " Cantabria " was commissined in 2010 . " Cantabria " is the second - largest naval ship currently operated by the Spanish , behind the LHD " Juan Carlos 1 " . Design and construction . " Cantabria " is a replenishment oiler , referred to in Spanish as a " Buque de Aprovisionamiento en Combate " ( " BAC " ; Supply Ship in Combat ) . She was acquired to provide logistical support to the Spanish Navy during day - to - day operations , expeditionary forces or strategic projection deployments , and for humanitarian and disaster relief operations . The vessel has a displacement of 19 , 500 tons , is in length , has a beam of , and a draught of . Propulsion is provided by two diesel engines , supplying 10 , 890 kW to a single propeller shaft , which is fitted with a controllable - pitch propeller . " Cantabria " has a maximum sustained speed of , and a range of . The ship ' s complement is 122 . The ship ' s capacity includes 8 , 920 cubic metres of ship fuel , 1 , 585 cubic metres of JP - 5 jet fuel , 215 cubic metres of fresh water , 280 tons of ammunition , and 470 tons of general cargo . The fuel storage areas are double - hulled . " Cantabria " can replenish three ships simultaneously ; one on each side , plus a third vis a stern refuelling station . She can carry three Agusta - Bell AB . 212 , two Sikorsky SH - 3 Sea King , or two NHIndustries NH90 helicopters to perform vertical replenishment . " Cantabria " was laid down in the dry dock of shipyard of Puerto Real , Cadiz , on 18 July 2007 ; the first ship to be built there in 30 years . The ship was launched by floating on 21 July 2008 , and was sponsored by Aurora Diaz Abella , the wife of Miguel Ángel Revilla , the President of the Autonomous Community of Cantabria . The ship underwent sea trials in the Bay of Cadiz from October to December 2009 . She was commissioned into the Spanish Navy on 29 September 2010 . The original budget was €213m but the final cost was €238m . The design has been evaluated by foreign buyers . Canada approached Navantia to provide a design for the Joint Support Ship Project based on " Cantabria " , but Navantia ' s proposal was not successful . The Norwegian Navy has also expressed interest , but has made no formal moves . Operational history . Between 2 and 5 July 2012 , " Cantabria " participated alongside the frigates " Álvaro de Bazán " , " Almirante Juan de Borbón " , and " Méndez Núñez " , the submarine " Galerna " , and AV - 8B s of the 9th naval air squadron during exercise MAR - 22 on the Atlantic coast of Galicia . On 3 July 2012 , the Australian and Spanish governments signed an agreement to deploy " Cantabria " in support of the Royal Australian Navy during 2013 . The ship will operate in Australian waters from February to November 2013 , and will be used to provide replenishment support to the Australians while the oiler undergoes maintenance . The deployment will also allow Australian personnel to train on systems similar to those in the Spanish - designed " Hobart " - and " Canberra " - class ships being acquired , and allow the Royal Australian Navy to evaluate the design as a possible replacement for its replenishment vessels .