The ships were authorized on 17 February 1915 by Navy Minister Augusto Miranda y Godoy. The program planned for four light cruisers, six destroyers, 28 submarines, three gunboats, and 18 coast guard vessels; of these, five light cruisers, three Alsedo- and fourteen Churruca-class destroyers, 16 submarines, and the three gunboats were actually completed. Some of the later ships of the class were completed without the central gun due to an arms embargo during the Spanish Civil War.