The commissioning of the Isaac Peral is a significant milestone for the Spanish Navy, as it will help to strengthen the country's naval defense capabilities. The S-80 class, one of the most advanced NATO conventional submarines, is capable of carrying out a wide range of missions, including anti-surface warfare, anti-submarine warfare, intelligence gathering and surveillance among others. They were also designed to incorporate land attack capability in the future.

'Isaac Peral' is the first of four S-80 class submarines. With this program, Spain becomes one of the few countries that can design and build submarines, extremely complex vessels which must operate autonomously for long periods of time in a hostile environment. The S-80 program is the greatest industrial and technological challenge ever faced by the Spanish industry. It is a huge technological leap for Navantia, who has accomplished the building of a submarine based in its own design and takes the role of Technical Design Authority for the Life Cycle Support of the vessels.