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NEWS
Turkey’s third MILGEM corvette ‘Burgazada’ starts trials
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Turkish Navy’s third MILGEM corvette Burgazada (F-513)
got underway from the Istanbul Naval Shipyard earlier this
month to start her first sea trials.
TCG Burgazada was launched
on June 18, 2016, after starting
construction in December 2014.
According to the Turkish
Undersecretariat for Defence
Industries (SSM), the Ada-class
corvette is set to be delivered to
the Turkish Navy between June
and September this year.
The fourth of a total of 12 planned
ships in the class, future TCG
Kinali, was launched on July 3,
2017, while the first two, TCG
Heybeliada and TCG Buyukada,
are already in service.
Construction has also started
on the first of the second batch
of MILGEM warships. These
ships will be classified as frigates
instead of corvettes as they will
be slightly larger than the first
four units.
Ada-class corvettes are designed to
embark ASW/ASUW helicopters
and are fitted with Harpoon
missiles and a 76 mm gun.
Employing the CODAG propulsion
system, the 99.5-meter ships are
capable of achieving speeds of
around 29 knots.
They are fitted with the
indigenously-developed combat
management system GENESİS
which is also used on Turkey’s
eight G-class frigates.
Turkish Navy orders
new replenishment
ship
Qatar Coast Guard’s first 48-meter patrol boat
completes sea trials
Turkish shipbuilder ARES has completed sea trials for the first of two
48-meter patrol boats designed and built for the Qatar Coast Guard.
The Turkish Navy will be receiving
a new replenishment vessel under
a contract announced by Turkey’s
Undersecretariat for Defence Industries
(SSM) on July 12.
The vessel will be built by
Sefine Shipyard with design and
engineering services provided by
Istanbul-based SEFT Ship Design.
Financial details of the contract
were not revealed.
According to the shipbuilder, the
200-meter replenishment vessel
will start construction in early
2019 with delivery expected in
2023.
Judging by the preliminary design
of the vessel, shared by SEFT
Ship Design, the vessel will have
a helipad and hangaring for two
helicopters.
SSM noted that the ship would
be locally designed and built
with 77 percent of domestic
industry content. Its main tasks
will be the replenishment of other
Turkish navy vessels with fuel,
ammunition, medical supplies and
fresh water. The ship will also be
capable of serving as a command
and control ship, SSM further said.
The vessels were designed by UKbased
BMT who have partnered
with ARES Shipyard (ARES) to
design and build 17 patrol boats
from advanced composites in
36 months, 18 months ahead
of schedule. The last in the
series – the 48-meter ARES 150
Hercules has just completed sea
trials which have been hailed a
success with the vessel achieving
a maximum speed of 37 knots.
The total order from the Qatar
Ministry of Interior, Coastguard
has comprised of three different
vessel sizes: five of 24 meters, 10
of 34 meters and two of 48 meters.
Qatar has subsequently ordered
further three 48-meter versions.
BMT has been responsible for the
naval architecture, including hull
development, class level design
and engineering work on all three
vessel sizes. Kerim Kalafatoğlu,
chairman and executive director
at ARES Shipyard said: “These
boats break two important records
– firstly, they have become the
largest composite hull military
ship to have ever been built in
Turkey and secondly, with its
speed of 37 nautical miles an hour,
it is the world’s fastest offshore
patrol vessel (OPV). It is exciting
to also report that the outstanding
performance of the first ARES
150 HERCULES has also led to
an immediate order for a further
three vessels.”