The testing process for KOÇHİSAR, the second of the HİSAR-class Open Sea Patrol Vessels (ADKG) scheduled to be added to the Turkish Naval Forces Command’s inventory, has officially begun. The Navy Command started the ship’s engines for the first time, marking a significant milestone in the process leading up to the ship’s port acceptance tests.
Project Details and a First for the Turkish Defense Industry
The HİSAR-class ADKG project, carried out under the leadership ofASFAT (Military Factory and Shipyard Operations Inc.) as the prime contractor and at the Istanbul Shipyard Command, was launched to address Turkey’s need to more effectively protect its rights and interests at sea. The project aims to produce a total of 10 ships.
KOÇHİSAR was laid down on December 10, 2022, and launched on September 23, 2023, alongside AKHİSAR, the first ship of the class. This launch marks a first for the Turkish defense industry: The launch of two vessels—both highly advanced—from the same slipway in such a short time, just 17 months after the first steel was cut, demonstrates the high level of expertise ASFAT has achieved in planning and production.
Mission Profile and High-Tech Features
The HİSAR-class ADKG ships were developed based on the exterior design of the ADA-class corvettes, tailored to meet the modern requirements of the Turkish Navy. These ships were designed with versatile mission capabilities:
Primary Missions:
- Intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance
- Search and rescue
- Counterterrorism
- Maritime control operations
- Maritime special operations
Secondary Missions:
- Maritime Air Operations
- Electronic and Acoustic Warfare
- Land bombardment
- Defense against asymmetric threats
The ships are being built according to the “Fit-for-but-not-with” design philosophy. This modular concept provides significant flexibility in combat capabilities by allowing for the easy retrofitting of national weapon and sensor systems to be developed in the future. Additionally, advanced efficiency is targeted through the use of an electric propulsion alternative in the main propulsion system. The fact that, for the first time within the scope of this project, tests on a warship propeller were conducted in Turkish laboratories demonstrates the level of domestic engineering and technological capacity achieved.
The commissioning of the KOÇHİSAR’s machinery is viewed as a critical step toward enhancing the Turkish Navy’s deterrence capabilities in the open seas.
