Canarias (F86), is the last of the six Spanish-built Santa María-class frigates of the Spanish Navy, which are based on the American Oliver Hazard Perry-class design.

The Harpoon missiles have a range of 50 nmi (93 km; 58 mi) at Mach 0.9 carrying a 227-kilogram (500 lb) warhead.

The vessels also mount a single OTO Melara 76-millimetre (3.0 in)/62 calibre naval gun capable of firing 85 rounds per minute up to 8.7 nmi (16.1 km; 10.0 mi) with each shell carrying a 6 kg (13 lb) warhead.

[1][a] For AAW defence, the ships mount a single Meroka 20 mm (0.79 in)/120 12-barrelled close-in weapons system (CIWS) capable of firing 3,600 rounds per minute up to 2 km (1.2 mi).

[4] As long-hulled versions of the Oliver Hazard Perry class, the Santa María-class frigates have twin hangars to accommodate up to two Sikorsky SH-60B Seahawk Light Airborne Multi-Purpose System (LAMPS) III helicopters though only one is usually embarked.

[4] In 2008, Canarias was one of three ships of the class that suffered damage after a crane fell on the frigates while tied up at Rota.

On 5 October, Canarias arrested two of the hijackers of the tuna boat Alakrana that had been captured by Somali pirates.

The Italian frigate Zeffiro, with the aid of Canarias, assisted the crew of RAK Afrikana in disembarking the vessel before it sank.

[10] On 31 March 2011, Canarias captured 11 Somali pirates that attempted to hijack a fishing vessel in the Indian Ocean.

[11] In September 2015, the frigate was assigned to Operation Sophia, the interception of illegal trafficking of migrants across the Mediterranean Sea.