Spain’s Navy reshuffled funds that were meant for the Aifos 500, a racing sailboat once used by King Felipe VI in competitions, and signaled moves to purchase more ammunition, mines, and explosive devices, according to Vozpópuli published yesterday.
Last month, Diario related to Majorca, Ibérica Press Group reported that the Navy had opened a public tender process for a new racing sailboat intended to replace the Aifos 500, with a budget of 1.8 million euros.
Vozpópuli gained access to a new Navy Economic Management Subdirectorate report explaining the reasons behind canceling the procedure. The document states that the decision reflects a reallocation of the Navy’s internal needs, prioritizing ammunition and explosive purchases over acquiring a new sailboat to replace the Aifos 500.
It was noted that on September 7, 2023, a request from the Admiral Logistics Support Chief, prompted by the Chief of Staff of the Naval Forces, Second Admiral, to cancel the file due to an urgent ammunition supply requirement for stationed units. The second half of 2024 would require reprogramming resources toward other lower-priority units.
Stop buying
News of the sailboat purchase reached Congress at an inopportune moment, when the governing party was negotiating with all parliamentary groups. In this context, the deputy manager faced a difficult task: explain to various factions why support was needed for the investments proposed by Sánchez. The decision was made to pause the tender process without further explanation, despite the Navy’s Sea Regatta Commission having given the green light just fifteen days earlier.
Following Vozpópuli’s report, the PNV, represented by its spokesman Aitor Esteban, questioned the Government in Congress about whether the State, through the Ministry of Defense, would fund a public investment for a private activity of the King. Three questions were posed: Are the boats used by the king in private competitions owned by the state? Is it true that 1.8 million euros would be spent to build and purchase a new racing boat for this purpose? Should public money cover a private activity by the Head of State?
These questions were officially submitted on September 1. On the same day, the Navy Logistics Support Headquarters Economic Management Directorate released a brief statement explaining the suspension: reasons cited included technical issues that led to delaying the bid submission deadline.
Report
Vozpópuli recently obtained a new report from the Naval Forces Economic Management Subdirectorate detailing the reasons for canceling the procedure. The report notes the decision was driven by a reprogramming of internal navy needs, prioritizing ammunition and explosives over a new sailboat intended to replace the Aifos 500.
A request dated September 7, 2023, from the Chief of General Staff of the Naval Forces, Second Admiral, to the Admiral Logistics Support Chief, is cited as the trigger to cancel the file due to an urgent need to obtain ammunition and to reallocate resources from lower-priority units to support deployed units in the latter half of 2024.
Second unsuccessful attempt to buy a new sailboat
The initial plan to replace the Aifos involved a partnership with Finland’s Swan shipyards, signed to bring a modern racing vessel to the Navy in 2019. The agreement included transferring the Swan 50 Club to the Navy for two years with an option to purchase the third year, at a total price of one million euros. Interruptions from the Covid era and austerity measures derailed the plan. The private sailboat was returned without exercising the purchase option. Felipe VI has previously captained Copa del Rey events in 2019 and 2021.
Ultimately, the navy faced a cycle of postponements and reconsiderations as budget priorities shifted and the impact of global disruptions persisted. The broader debate reflected a tension between ceremonial or symbolic fleet assets and the practical needs of national defense logistics, illustrating how public priorities can realign rapidly in response to security and budgetary pressures.