Turkey launches first indigenous frigate

The first I-class frigate of Turkey to be produced within the scope of Turkey’s MILGEM project was launched at Istanbul shipyard with a ceremony on 23rd January. The construction of Pakistan’s third Ada-class corvette began with the same ceremony.

President of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Ministry of Defence Hulusi Akar and highest-rank commanders of the Turkish Armed Forces attended the ceremony.

“Turkey becomes a country that meets needs of friendly and allied countries as well as itself in terms of land and sea vehicles,” Erdogan said during his speech at the ceremony.

“Turkey, boasting significant skills in submarine technology, will put into service six of its new submarines starting in 2022 with Piri Reis,” added Erdogan.

On the country’s progress on UAVs, Erdogan stressed that Turkey is now also among the first three to four countries globally in terms of production of unmanned and armed unmanned aerial vehicles.

The future TCG Istanbul will be the highest indigenizition rate vessel of the Turkish Navy. The ship was designed by STM company of Turkey. The command and control system will be ADVENT which was developed by Havelsan. Most of the sensors would be Aselsan-made solutions. Because of the CAATSA sanctions, Istanbul will not be outfitted with Phalanx and Mk 41 VLS. Instead of these weapons Aselsan-made Gokdeniz CIWS and indigenous vertical launch system will be fitted to the ship.

The main gun will be outsourced and the gas turbines as well. The main engine of the ship was intended as LM-2500, but because of the sanctions Ukrainian-made gas turbine is in consideration.

I-Class (Istanbul-class) Frigates:

The Istanbul-class frigates are a planned group of four frigates for the Turkish Naval Forces. Developed under the MILGEM national warship program as the TF-100-class frigate, the Istanbul class is an enlarged variant of the Ada class anti-submarine corvette, with enhanced endurance and the fitting of a Mark 41 vertical launch system for a multi-role capability. Also known as the I-class frigate and the MILGEM-G-class frigate, the nameship of the class was cut first steel on 19 January 2017, keel laid on 3 July 2017, and is expected to commission in 2021.

The Istanbul class has its origins in the Turkish MILGEM project to develop its own indigenous warships and warship building industry. The program calls for the building of a family of twelve warships, in three classes each of four ships, all with high degrees of commonality. The first of the three classes is the Ada-class anti-submarine/patrol corvette. The Istanbul class, originally known as the TF-100 class, belongs to the second of these classes and is a multi-role variant of the Ada class. The final class will be the TF2000 class, which will be the air defence member of the family.

The general specifications of the frigates;

Overall length: 113.2 meters
Maximum beam: 14.4 meters
Displacement: 3000 tons
Max Speed : +29 kts
Range with economic speed: Around 5700 nautical miles
Unconditional operations at sea state 5
Minimum 15 days of operational capability without replenishments
Complement: 123

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