TCG Istanbul (F-515) at the Bosporus strait, during the naval parade for celebrating the centennial of the Turkish Republic, October 29, 2023. | |
Class overview | |
---|---|
Name | Istif class |
Builders | Istanbul Naval Shipyard |
Operators | Turkish Naval Forces |
Preceded by | Barbaros class |
Built | 2017–present |
In commission | 2024-present |
Planned | 8 [1] [2] |
Building | 7 |
Completed | 1 [3] |
Active | 1 |
General characteristics | |
Type | Multirole frigate |
Displacement | 3,100 tonnes |
Length | 113.2 m (371 ft 5 in) |
Beam | 14.40 m (47 ft 3 in) |
Draft | 4.05 m (13 ft 3 in) |
Installed power | 4 x 560kw Generator [4] |
Propulsion | |
Speed |
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Range | 5.700 nmi (10.556 km; 6.559 mi) at 14 kn (26 km/h; 16 mph) [4] |
Boats & landing craft carried | 2 x RHIB |
Complement | 123 [4] |
Sensors and processing systems |
|
Electronic warfare & decoys | |
Armament |
|
Aircraft carried |
|
The Istif-class frigates are a group of eight [2] multirole frigates currently being constructed for the Turkish Naval Forces. [13] Developed under the MILGEM national warship program as the I-class frigate, the Istanbul class is an enlarged version of the Ada-class anti-submarine corvette, with enhanced endurance and MIDLAS Vertical Launching System (VLS) for multi-role capability. [9] On 19 January 2017, Turkish Navy held a ceremonial steel cut for the lead ship TCG Istanbul (F 515). [14] Istanbul was laid down on 3 July 2017 and launched on 23 January 2021. [15] [9]
The Istif class has its origins in the Turkish MILGEM project for developing national warships and warship building industry. The program calls for the construction of a warship family in three classes, where all vessels would be designed with high degree of commonality. First product of the project emerged as Ada-class anti-submarine/patrol corvette. The Istanbul class, originally known as the TF-100 class under MILGEM-G designation, belongs to the second development phase, where structure of the Ada class vessel is extended to host multi-role capabilities.
The Istif class [16] is an enlarged variant of the Ada class and will feature a slightly larger hull for improved endurance. In addition to retaining the guns, self protection and anti-submarine warfare systems of the Ada class, [17] the Istif class will have twice the number of anti-ship missiles [17] and will be equipped with the indigenous MDAS vertical launching system, [9] capable of firing HISAR and other missiles, along with other systems for improved multi-role combat capabilities. The experience and technological know-how gained with the Istanbul class will play an important role in determining the design characteristics and the development process of the TF-2000-class destroyers, as well as the selection of the systems and equipment which will be used on these significantly larger and more capable warships.
The first ship of the class, TCG Istanbul, was laid down on 19 January 2017. The fifth and largest modern warship to be both indigenously designed and built in Turkey, it is claimed that at least 75% of its systems will be of indigenous manufacture. [18] Its steel cutting ceremony was attended by Turkish Defence Minister Fikri Işık and senior military officers, including Admiral Bülent Bostanoğlu, Commander of the Turkish Naval Forces.
Construction took six years and the vessel was commissioned into service on 19 January 2024. [19] [20]
It was stated in Aselsan 2023 Annual report that İstif class frigate was exported to an unnamed Middle Eastern country. [21]
Pennant no. | Name | Namesake | Builder | Launched | Commissioned | Status | Note |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
F-515 | TCG Istanbul | Istanbul | Istanbul Naval Shipyard | 23 January 2021 | 19 January 2024 | In service | [22] |
F-516 | TCG İzmir | Izmir | Anadolu Shipyard | Planned | Under Construction [14] | ||
F-517 | TCG İzmit | İzmit | Sedef Shipyard | Planned | Under Construction [15] | ||
F-518 | TCG İçel | İçel | Sefine Shipyard | Planned | Under Construction [15] | ||
F-519 | Fifth ship | N/A | Anadolu Shipyard | Planned | Under Construction [23] | ||
F-520 | Sixth ship | N/A | Sedef Shipyard | Planned | Under Construction [24] | ||
F-521 | Seventh ship | N/A | Planned | [25] | |||
F-522 | Eight ship | N/A | Planned |
The Turkish Naval Forces, or Turkish Navy, is the naval warfare service branch of the Turkish Armed Forces.
MILGEM project (Turkish:Milli Gemi Projesi, English: National Ship Project) is a national warship program of the Republic of Turkey. Managed by the Turkish Navy, the project aims at developing multipurpose corvettes, frigates and destroyers that can be deployed in a range of missions, including reconnaissance, surveillance, early warning, anti-submarine warfare, surface-to-surface and surface-to-air warfare, and amphibious operations.
The TF-2000-class destroyer is a projected anti-air warfare guided-missile destroyer currently undergoing development by the Turkish Naval Institute. The class will provide survivability in the presence of aerial threat and also support mission functions such as command, control, and communications, reconnaissance, early warning, surface warfare, anti-submarine warfare and electronic warfare. Moreover, once in service, the TF-2000s are slated to be an integral part of Türkiye's expeditionary strike groups centered around the TCG Anadolu LHD and the country's future aircraft carrier(s). The TCG Anadolu is to be followed up by the TCG Trakya light aircraft carrier and President Erdoğan has also hinted at the construction of a larger aircraft carrier that is to be designed in cooperation with Spain. These capital vessels require destroyer escorts to defend them against enemy aircraft, ships and submarines; in other words, the perfect role for the TF-2000s once these new designs are slated for operational service by 2038. On 5 December 2007, Defence Industry Executive Committee approved plans to build six ships of this class. In January 2013, it was announced that Turkey was planning to acquire a total of 8 TF-2000 destroyers, which was confirmed at the International Defence Industry Fair (IDEF) 2021. With the realization of the project, it is intended to improve the anti-air warfare (AAW) capabilities of the Turkish Navy.
The Barbaros-class frigates are among the most modern frigates in the Turkish Navy. They were designed in Germany and are part of the MEKO group of modular warships, in this case the MEKO 200 design. Two ships were built in Germany and two in Turkey with German assistance. They are larger than the previous Yavuz-class frigates and are also faster due to using CODOG machinery rather than pure diesels.
Gölcük Naval Shipyard is a naval shipyard of the Turkish Navy within the Gölcük Naval Base on the east coast of the Sea of Marmara in Gölcük, Kocaeli. Established in 1926, the shipyard serves for the building and the maintenance of military vessels. A total of 3,221 personnel are employed at the shipyard stretching over an area of 255,526 m2 (2,750,460 sq ft) with covered structures of 121,466 m2 (1,307,450 sq ft).
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SMART-S Mk2(Signaal Multibeam Acquisition Radar for Tracking, S band Mk2) is a naval medium to long-range air and surface surveillance multibeam passive electronically scanned array 3D radar designed by Thales Nederland, formerly Hollandse Signaalapparaten (Signaal). While the original SMART-S radar was only produced in small numbers, SMART-S Mk2 is more successful with 30 systems were sold to navies all over the world within six years after being introduced. The radar transmitter/receiver (T/R) modules for the radar are purchased by Thales from the Turkish defence company Aselsan.
The Ada class is a class of anti-submarine corvettes developed primarily for the Turkish Navy during the first stage of the MILGEM project. The Turkish Navy has commissioned all four Ada-class corvettes.
TCG Büyükada (F-512) is the second ship of the Ada-class ASW corvettes of the Turkish Navy. TCG Büyükada was named after Büyükada Island. Büyükada Island is part of the Prince Islands archipelago in the Sea of Marmara, to the southeast of Istanbul. Its sister ship is TCG Heybeliada.
TCG Anadolu (L-400) is an amphibious assault ship of the Turkish Navy. It is named after the peninsula of Anatolia which forms the majority of the land mass of Turkey. The construction works began on 30 April 2016 at the shipyard of Sedef Shipbuilding Inc. in Istanbul, with the keel being laid on 7 February 2018. TCG Anadolu was commissioned with a ceremony on 10 April 2023.
Sedef Shipyard is a Turkish shipyard established in Gebze, Kocaeli in 1972. Shipyard moved to Tuzla, Istanbul in 1990. The shipyard is building defense industry ships and commercial ships such as the multi-purpose amphibious assault ship TCG Anadolu to be used by the Turkish Naval Forces. In 2000, the shipyard became a subsidiary of Turkon Holding.
Istanbul(F 515) is an Istanbul-class frigate of the Turkish Navy.
The Babur-class corvette, also known as the PN MILGEM class, is a class of four heavy corvettes under construction for the Pakistan Navy. This class is a subclass of the Turkish MILGEM project. The corvette class is heavier and larger than the Turkish Ada-class corvette and are also equipped with VLS.
The GOKDENIZ complex along with Aselsan ATOM 35mm airburst ammunition is an all-weather-capable Turkish 35 mm dual barrel close-in weapon system (CIWS) developed by Aselsan. It is a CIWS variant of KORKUT Self-propelled anti-aircraft gun.
Drogou is a D'Estienne d'Orves-class aviso in the French Navy. She was transferred to the Turkish Navy as TCG Bodrum (F-501) and decommissioned in 2022.
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