Meteoro (Buques de Accion Maritima)

The Meteoro class, also known as Buques de Acción Marítima (BAM), is a series of offshore patrol vessels built for the Spanish Navy. These versatile ships are designed for a wide range of missions including maritime security, humanitarian aid, and scientific research.

Developed by Navantia in the mid-2000s, the class was conceived to replace the Spanish Navy's aging fleet of legacy patrol craft with a modern, modular platform optimized for low-intensity operations. The lead vessel, Meteoro (P-41), was commissioned into active service in April 2012, initiating the deployment of the first batch of four ships. Since their introduction, these vessels have been heavily utilized in international missions, most notably participating in the European Union's anti-piracy Operation Atalanta in the Indian Ocean and security patrols in the Gulf of Guinea. Currently, six units are in active service, and the Spanish government has authorized further specialized variants, cementing the class as a cornerstone of Spain's modern maritime surveillance strategy.