National Frigates to Power the Blue Homeland Launched

In the MİLGEM Stacking (İ) Class Frigate Project, built for the Turkish Naval Forces by the TAİS Joint Venture (OG) and STM Business Partnership, the İZMİR and İZMİT frigates met with the water. Dock equipment activities of the national frigates have started.

Another important milestone was left behind in the construction of three new frigates within the scope of the İSTİF Class Frigates, which are a continuation of the MİLGEM Project carried out by the Presidency of Defense Industries (SSB) of the Presidency of the Republic of Turkey for the needs of the Naval Forces Command. The MİLGEM 6 – İZMİR (F-516), built in Anadolu Shipyard under the TAİS OG and STM Joint Venture, and the MİLGEM 7 – İZMİT (F-517), built in Sedef Shipyard, were launched following intensive construction activities. The frigates, which met with the water, moved on to the dry-dock outfitting phase.

Güleryüz: We are Increasing the Local Production Rate in the National Frigate to Over 80 Percent

STM General Manager Özgür Güleryüz stated that national frigates have an important place in the defense of the Blue Homeland and noted the following:

“Our country’s first national frigate will be a sister to TCG ISTANBUL; we have achieved another important milestone for our İZMİR and İZMİT frigates. Our national frigates, which we built under the leadership of our Presidency of Defense Industries, in partnership with TAİS OG and STM, have met with the blue waters. While we have started the dry-dock equipment activities of the two ships we have launched, we will also launch the third ship İÇEL (F-518) as soon as possible. We had delivered the first ship of our İstif Class Frigates, TCG ISTANBUL, to our Navy with an 80 percent local content ratio, with STM as the prime contractor. We will increase this ratio to over 80 percent with our nationalization steps in the other ships we have launched and will build today. In addition to the first ship of the MİLGEM Island Class Corvette and the MİLGEM Stacking Class Frigate, we will continue to transfer our military shipbuilding experience and technology, which we have gained from foreign projects, to the MİLGEM 6-12 ships. May our ships, which we will equip with national and modern systems, be beneficial to our Navy and the Blue Homeland. We will continue to strengthen the Turkish Navy with our national engineering capabilities.”

8 National Frigates for the Blue Homeland

The first ship of the MİLGEM İ Class Frigate project, which is the 2nd phase continuation of the MİLGEM ADA CLASS corvettes, TCG İSTANBUL (F-515) Frigate, was built at the İstanbul Shipyard Command under the prime contractor STM. Turkey's first national frigate, TCG İSTANBUL, was delivered to the Turkish Naval Forces Command at a ceremony held on January 19, 2024. Within the scope of the continuation of the project, signatures for the 6th-7th-8th ships of the MİLGEM were also placed at the ceremony held at the Presidency of Defense Industries on April 6, 2023. The 6,7th, 8th and 10th ships of the MİLGEM İstif (İ) Class Frigate Project, which will be implemented in the TAİS OG and STM Joint Venture, were launched simultaneously at the Anadolu, Sedef, and Sefine shipyards. The first sheet metal cutting ceremony of the national frigates (İZMİR, İZMİT and İÇEL) was held on April 2023, 3 with the participation of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. It is aimed that these 2026 frigates will enter service with the Turkish Navy in 3. At the Defense Industry Executive Board (SSİK) Meeting held on January 2024, 9 under the presidency of President Erdoğan, a decision was made for the construction of MİLGEM İ Class Frigates 10-11-12-8. Thus, the number of İ Class Frigates to be built within the scope of the project was increased to 7. The construction activities of the XNUMX MİLGEM frigates are carried out by TAIS OG project management, TAIS partner Anadolu, Sedef and Sefine shipyards and STM Business Partnership.

They Will Be Equipped With National Combat Systems

The national frigates feature a national electronic warfare system with a high rate of localization and a new generation national combat management system. The İSTİF Class Frigates, all of whose sensors and weapons systems were developed nationally, will be equipped with national air defense capabilities. The frigates will be equipped with advanced and national solutions such as the MİDLAS National Vertical Launch System, ATMACA Cruise Missile, GÖKDENİZ Close Air Defense System, Cenk-S AESA Radar, and ADVENT Combat Management System. In addition, nationalization activities will continue in many areas such as various components of the Forward Gun and Main Propulsion System, and the localization rate of the ships will be increased to over 80 percent.

Differences Between Ada Class Corvette and Stacking Class Frigate

The MİLGEM İ-Class Frigate Project, which has different features from ADA class corvettes in terms of its structure, is of critical importance for the Turkish defense industry, since the weapon electronic systems it will carry are mostly domestic production. The I-Class Frigates stand out with their anti-submarine, surface and air defense warfare capabilities, the execution of outpost activities, reconnaissance, surveillance, target detection, identification, recognition and early warning features. The first national frigates, which were extended by 10 meters due to equipment changes and additions made in the weapon systems according to the ADA class, have a displacement of 3100 tons, a length of 113 meters and a width of 14,4 meters. MİLGEM İ class Frigate differs from ADA class corvettes with its ability to have air defense guided missiles.