Türkiye launches 4th I-class frigate, the future TCG İçel (F-518)

On September 1, 2025, Turkish Sefine Shipyard launched the 4th I-class frigate, the future TCG İçel (F-518) with a ceremony held in Yalova.

The ceremony was attended by officials from local authorities along with representatives of the Turkish defence industry. Prof. Haluk Görgün, President of the Defence Industry Agency (SSB), highlighted the event on social media, emphasizing the significance of Türkiye’s defence sector being able to construct multiple ships simultaneously.

“Our eighth MİLGEM vessel, the İstif-class frigate TCG İçel, has been launched at Sefine Shipyard in Yalova Altınova. Key specifications: 113 meters in length, 3,200 tons displacement, up to 80% indigenization rate. Multi-role operational capability: reconnaissance, surveillance, anti-submarine/air defense, search and rescue. Main integrated indigenous systems: ATMACA, MİDLAS, GÖKDENİZ, ADVENT, and the CENK 3D search radar. Developed under the coordination of our Defence Industry Agency and shaped by the efforts and expertise of more than 200 institutions and companies, this achievement strengthens not only our Navy but also the entire ecosystem of our defence industry.”

Prof. Haluk Görgün, Head of SSB

TCG İçel is the fourth I-class frigate and the eighth vessel of the MİLGEM project, whose first four ships were built as Ada-class corvettes. The lead ship of the I-class, TCG İstanbul (F-515), was commissioned on January 19, 2024. Construction of the next three frigates began in late 2023, with the second and third ships launched in January 2025.

The Defence Industry Agency (SSB) also awarded TAIS–STM partnership the contract to build an additional four I-class frigates, whose construction commenced earlier this year. TAIS-STM partnership is responsible for the construction and outfitting of 6 to 12th ships of the MILGEM project. In total, seven I-class frigates are currently under construction at various stages.

About I-class frigates

The Turkish I-class Frigate Program was launched to construct four frigates to replace aging YAVUZ-class Frigates of the Turkish Navy in the mid-2020s. Developed under the MILGEM indigenous warship program, the Istanbul class is an enlarged variant of the Ada-class anti-submarine corvette. The I-class Frigates have around 50% increased fuel capacity and operational/sailing range capability compared to Ada-class Corvettes.

The frigate was developed for anti-submarine and surface warfare, air warfare, reconnaissance, surveillance, target acquisition, identification, detection and early warning. It is 113 meters long and has a beam of 14.4 meters. The TCG İSTANBUL was built at the Istanbul Naval Shipyard and equipped with advanced national solutions, including the ATMACA Anti-Ship Missile and MİDLAS Vertical Launch System (VLS) developed by Roketsan, the Gökdeniz Close-In Air Weapon System and Cenk-S AESA Radar developed by ASELSAN, and the ADVENT Combat Management System developed by HAVELSAN under the direction of Naval Forces Command. A total of 220 companies participated in the project, including 80 subcontractors working on the delivery of more than 150 systems. Türkiye’s largest naval engineering company STM is the primary contractor of the project.

I-class frigate specifications: