Click here - to select or create a menu

Naval News

DSEI Japan 2023
  • News
  • Event News
    • SNA 2023
    • Euronaval 2022
    • Indo Pacific 2022
    • Sea Air Space 2022
    • DIMDEX 2022
  • Interviews
  • Videos
  • Advertising
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
Home» News»Naval Systems Seminar: Latest Update on Turkish Naval Projects
Naval Systems Seminar enlights Turkish Naval Projects
The 10th edition of Turkey’s Naval Systems Seminar (NSS) was carried out on 15 and 16 November in Ankara.

Naval Systems Seminar: Latest Update on Turkish Naval Projects

The 10th edition of Turkey’s Naval Systems Seminar (NSS) took place on 15 and 16 November in Ankara. It provided the latest details on current and future Turkish Navy projects.

Tayfun Ozberk 22 Nov 2021

Presentations on Turkey’s naval projects were delivered at the seminar, which brought together Turkish navy officials, representatives from leading defense corporations, and experts from the defense industry. The latest status of current projects was also discussed at the event.

The NSS hosted more than 600 attendants from different sectors, the Commander of the Turkish Navy, Admiral Adnan Ozbal, was the chief guest at the event. Turkey’s leading defence companies STM, Aselsan, and Havelsan were the main sponsors of the seminar.

STM’s primary naval projects:

The Combat Systems Manager of STM Defence, Enver Küçükerman, revealed the latest updates on the most important naval projects. The most significant issues of his presentation are as follows;

The launch ceremony for Turkey’s first I-class frigate.
  • The future TCG Istanbul (F-515), the first I-class frigate, is scheduled to enter service in the second half of 2023. According to an infographic in the presentation, TCG Istanbul will be outfitted with an indigenous vertical launching system named MIDLAS, that will be capable of launching both Hisar family surface-to-air missiles and ESSM (Evolved SeaSparrow Missile). The rate of indigenization will be approximately 75%, the highest ever.
Test and Training Ship TCG UFUK’s launch ceremony (Turkish MoD photo)
  • Turkey’s first test and training ship, TCG Ufuk, which is constructed based on MILGEM design in Istanbul Shipyard, is ready for delivery. TCG Ufuk is expected to enter service for the Turkish Navy by the end of November.
The launch ceremony of TCG Gungor Durmus before Selah Shipyard went bankrupt
  • STM continues its efforts in the Logistics Support Ship Project to finish all remaining work on the two ships that were previously started to be built and bring them into service. The first ship (TCG Yzb. Gungor Durmus (A-574)) will be delivered this month, the second ship (TCG Utgm. Arif Ekmekci (A-575)) is scheduled to enter service by the end of February 2024. The project was paused in 2019 due to the financial issues of the Selah Shipyard. In the beginning of 2021, STM signed a new deal to resume the project.
FAC-55 design (STM image)
  • The Turkish Type FAC project‘s conceptual design phase will be completed in 2022. As the primary contractor, STM had signed a contract for the design phase on 31 August 2020. STM aims to deliver the first FAC 30 months after the design phase is completed.
STM500-midget-submarine
STM500 Rendering. (STM image)
  • The STM 500 Small-Sized Submarine, whose design was finished by STM, is scheduled to begin manufacturing in 2022. It is estimated that the construction of one Small-Sized Submarine will take 48 months, with the full project expected to be completed in 72 months. The officials didn’t reveal the customer information. The submarine will be 42 meter long and has a displacement of around 500 tons.

TF-2000 Air Defence Destroyer (ADD) Project:

Naval Systems Seminar enlights Turkish Naval Projects - TF-2000 Destroyer Turkey IDEF 2021
TF-2000 scale model at IDEF 2021. (Tayfun Ozberk picture)

The Technical Manager of the Turkish Naval Forces, Rear Admiral Ramis Akın, shared important information about the timeline of Turkey’s future air defence destroyer, TF-2000. He mentioned that the design phase of the TF-2000 ADD will be completed in 2022, saying;

“Our Naval Technical Command Design Project Office Directorate is in charge of design activities. There isn’t much time left till the contract level of the TF-2000 design is finished. The activities of detailed design and the construction of the first prototype ship will begin once the design has been finalized as a result of a harmonious collaboration amongst institutions.”


Rear Admiral Ramis Akın

As Naval News reported before, Turkey’s top procurement official, Ismail Demir, stated after IDEF 2021 defence industry fair held in Istanbul in August 2021, the tender for the construction of the ADD would be conducted soon, both civilian and military shipyards would be awarded to build the prototype.

AKYA Heavyweight Torpedo Project:

Naval Systems Seminar enlights Turkish Naval Projects - AKYA
Akya HWT (left) and Orka LWT (right) scale models in IDEF 2021 (Tayfun Ozberk picture)

Admiral Akin also informed that the indigenous heavyweight torpedo AKYA is still being tested and developed. “After the program is completed, all of our submarines would be able to launch AKYA.” Akin noted.

According to a presentation given by Roketsan’s Underwater Systems Manager, Levent Comoglu, who is the primary contractor of AKYA project, the qualification phase of AKYA has already begun.

“We plan to complete the acceptance process by the end of November and begin delivering AKYA in December,” said Comoglu.

Roketsan began low-rate initial production (LRIP) for AKYA, delivering torpedoes, consumables, test equipment, and logistics supplies to the Turkish Navy.

According to Comoglu, the Turkish Navy’s acceptance trials for the AKYA heavy torpedo would begin in November 2021 and will be finished in December.

“The initial deliveries will be made as part of the Low-Rate Initial Production program (LRIP). The AKYA project’s mass production deliveries are scheduled to take place in 2022. In 2022, the Turkish Navy will conduct a live-fire test of the AKYA against an actual naval target (ship).”


Roketsan Underwater Systems Manager Levent Comoglu

LHD Anadolu to deploy AH-1W Super Cobra helicopters:

Naval Systems Seminar enlights Turkish Naval Projects - LHD Anadolu
LHD Anadolu

In his presentation titled “Naval Air Projects” on the second day of the seminar, Naval Air Commander Rear Admiral Alper YENIEL announced that the AH-1W Super Cobra Attack Helicopters are currently in the inventory of the Army Aviation Command will be transferred to the Naval Air Command in the first half of 2022.

The AH-1W Super Cobra helicopters are expected to be deployed at the future TCG ANADOLU Landing Helicopter Dock (LHD), which is scheduled to be commissioned in 2022. The AH-1W Super Cobras will be the first attack helicopters of the Turkish Navy.

AH-1W Super Cobra helicopter

According to information released by Defence Turkey Magazine’s April 2021 issue, the Turkish Naval Air Command was planning to acquire a marine version of the T129 ATAK Attack helicopters, dubbed as ATAK-2. The first two of the eight ATAK-2 Helicopters were scheduled to arrive in 2022. With the ATAK-2s, this number would rise to 16 by 2026, according to Defence Turkey’s interview with Naval Air Commander.

Naval News understands that the Turkish Navy intends to deploy AH-1W helicopters onboard LHD Anadolu until the marine variant of the ATAK-2 is ready for use.

Since the 1980s, AH-1W Super Cobra helicopters have served the United States Marine Corps, and the USMC has deactivated these helicopters in favor of AH-1Z Viper attack helicopters. For decades, the Turkish Army has used Super Cobras in counter-terrorism operations.

Turkish Navy 2021-11-22
Tags Turkish Navy
Facebook Twitter Stumble linkedin Pinterest More

Authors

Posted by : Tayfun Ozberk
Tayfun Ozberk is a former naval officer who is expert in Above Water Warfare especially in Littoral Waters. He has a Bachelor Degree in Computer Science. After serving the Turkish Navy for 16 years, he started writing articles for several media. Tayfun also offers analysis services on global naval strategies. He's based in Mersin, Turkey.

Related Articles

Turkish MoD Orders Final 3 I-class Frigates from Private Shipyards

Turkish MoD Orders Final 3 I-class Frigates from Private Shipyards

Tayfun Ozberk 24 Jan 2023
The Turkish Navy's remaining three I-class (Istanbul-class) frigates will be built by STM and TAIS shipyards.
Opinion: Should Turkiye buy Type 23 frigates?

Opinion: Should Turkiye buy Type 23 frigates?

Tayfun Ozberk 22 Jan 2023
Turkish media reported last week that the Turkish Ministry of Defense is in talks with its British counterparts regarding the procurement of Type 23 frigates.
Turkish Defence Agency signs contract for ULAQ USV procurement

Turkish Defence Agency signs contract for ULAQ USV procurement

Tayfun Ozberk 28 Dec 2022
On December 27, 2022, the Turkish Defence Agency (SSB) signed contract with ARES Shipyard and Meteksan for the procurement of ULAQ unmanned surface vessels.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Legal / Privacy Policy
About Us
Contact Us

Copyright © 2022 Naval News
All Rights Reserved