It is not common to see a Spanish patrol boat sink after being hit by a torpedo, but that is one of the images it has left Sinkex 26the live fire exercise carried out by the Navy Spanish between the second and third of November to the southwest of Canary Islands. According to Infodefensa, the submarine Isaac Peral (S-81) the old one has sunk Infanta Elena with a single heavy guided torpedo DM2A4in maneuvers aimed at checking their combat capabilities and coordination with other units.
The name Sinkex comes from the English ‘sinking exercisea sinking exercise that uses retired ships as targets to practice with real weapons. In this edition, the Navy has evaluated both the submarine’s weapons systems and the preparation of its crew in conditions close to those of a confrontation.
The deployment brought together the frigates Christopher Columbus and Navarrethe multipurpose ship Carnota and the maritime action ship Lightningin addition to specialized divers, three planes Harriera helicopter, a drone ScanEagle and a maritime surveillance plane. The direction corresponded to the captain of the ship Rafael Mira Calvocommander of the 41st Escort Squadronembarked with his Staff in Navarre.
đź’ĄThe submarine ‘Isaac Peral’ sinks the former patrol boat ‘Infanta Elena’ during the live fire exercise SINKEX 26. 🎯Demonstration of combat, deterrence and sea control capabilities in an exercise that tests the S-81 systems and the preparation of its crew. https://t.co/cnL6Kk8UlV
— Armada (@Armada_esp) November 4, 2026
Before launch, the Infanta Elena was decontaminated by removing fuels, oils and other components potentially harmful to the environment. The Navy also examined the hydrographic and environmental conditions of the area and activated a surveillance protocol to protect cetaceans and other speciesin addition to preserving the safety of civil navigation.
The protagonist of the attack is the first of the four submarines of the S-80 program, designed and built by Navantia in Cartagena and delivered to the Navy on November 30, 2023. Based in that city, the Isaac Peral measures approximately 81 meters and move close to 3,000 tons in immersion, it uses diesel-electric propulsion and reaches a maximum submerged speed of about 38km/h.
Its equipment includes six 533 millimeter tubes from which it can launch torpedoes, missiles and mines, as well as different sonars to detect threats and obstacles. The Navy assigns a complement of 40 submariners and missions that encompass the protection of naval forces, the acquisition of intelligence and the infiltration of special operations teams.
The target ship was built by Bazan as class corvette Discovered and entered service in 1980before its reclassification as high altitude patrol car in 2004. With 88.8 meters in length and a maximum speed of about 46km/hthe Infanta Elena participated in surveillance and anti-piracy operations until its decommissioning in 2023, after almost 43 years of activity.
A heavy torpedo was used to sink it. DM2A4marketed as SeaHake mod4 for the german Atlas Elektronik and designed to attack surface ships and submarines. Its standard configuration is around 6.22 meters in length and 1,530 kiloswith a diameter of 533 millimeters and a range of up to 50 kilometersaccording to the manufacturer’s information.
The torpedo uses an electric motor powered by batteries and maintains communication with the submarine through a fiber optic cablewhich allows data and instructions to be transmitted during its journey. It also has its own sonar to locate the target and can operate with different degrees of autonomy.
Its classification as a heavy torpedo responds to its size, caliber and mass, typical of a highly capable weapon against naval targets. As a comparison, a light anti-submarine torpedo like the American one Mk 54launchable from aircraft and ships, has about 324 millimeters in diameter and weighs approximately 275 kilos.