Türk Deniz Kuvvetleri
Turkish Naval Forces
Numbering 54,000 individuals in late 1994, nearly 70 percent conscripts, the navy is responsible for defending the country against seaborne attack in time of war, for safeguarding the Turkish straits at all times, and for patrol and coastal protection along the extensive coastline that borders about two-thirds of the nation. The navy has an assigned NATO role in which it is responsible to the alliance's commander of NAVSOUTH in Naples. The commander of Turkish naval forces serves concurrently as commander, North-East Mediterranean (COMEDNOREAST), under NAVSOUTH. The Turkish navy shares in NAVSOUTH's mission of protecting a line of communications through the Mediterranean and the Black Sea and conducting antisubmarine operations in the event of a general war.
Turkish strategists feel that the creation of new countries in the Black Sea area, following the end of the Cold War, has imposed new missions on the navy. They point out that, whereas there were previously four littoral states on the Black Sea, since the breakup of the Soviet Union there are seven--Bulgaria, Georgia, Moldova, Romania, Russia, Turkey, and Ukraine. Russia retains the major share of the former Soviet Black Sea fleet, but Ukraine claims a number of vessels and base facilities. Because Turkey considers the Central Asian republics likely to make heavy use of the Black Sea for foreign trade, the maintenance of open sea-lanes is expected to become more important. Turkey foresees a greater flow of oil from the Caucasus, Central Asia, and Russia via pipelines to terminals at Iskenderun in the eastern Mediterranean, imposing additional requirements on the navy to ensure the safety of ports and sea-lanes in an increasingly strategic area.
The navy has three operational commands: the Northern Sea Area Command, based at Istanbul; the Fleet Command at Gölcük; and the Southern Sea Area Command at Izmir. The Fleet Command, the largest of the naval components, consists of specialized elements: the war fleet, the submarine fleet, the mine fleet, and the landing units. The zonal commands are the Black Sea (headquartered at Eregli), the Aegean (headquartered at Izmir), two straits commands (headquartered at Istanbul and Çanakkale), and the Mediterranean (headquartered at Mersin). The commander in chief of the Turkish navy in early 1995 was Admiral Vural Bayazit.
The Naval Training Command is based at Karamürsel on the southern coast of the Sea of Marmara. The naval academy near Istanbul is colocated with the Naval Lyceum, a four-year secondary school. Graduates of the lyceum and other high schools who are accepted as midshipmen at the naval academy are promoted to subensign after the four-year program, and then are assigned to sea duty for two probationary years before being commissioned in the regular navy. Entrance to the lyceum is highly competitive; only a small percentage of applicants pass the qualifying examinations.
The Petty Officers School at Istanbul receives applicants at age twelve for four years of secondary and naval preparatory instruction. Graduates are then admitted as petty officer candidates and, after four years of specialist training, are designated career petty officers at the entry grade. Conscripts assigned to the navy receive about four months of basic training and are then assigned to sea or shore duties for the balance of their required service.
The navy's inventory of ships is well maintained, and its officers and crews are considered to possess high levels of professionalism and readiness. Turkey participates in NATO exercises in its region and frequently takes part in national exercises of other NATO members. Its relations with other Black Sea naval powers are good. Mutual high-level naval visits have been exchanged with Russia, and negotiations have been opened on agreements to prevent incidents on and over the high seas with both Russia and Ukraine. Turkey conducted joint mine and search-and-rescue exercises with Bulgaria in 1993. Tepe / Knox Class
| # | Name | US # | US Name | Comm | Decomm | transfer | |
| F250 | Muavenet | FF-1093 | Capodanno | 11/17/73 | 07/30/93 | 1993 | 20xx |
| F251 | Adatepe | FF-1076 | Fanning | 07/23/71 | 07/31/93 | 20xx | |
| F252 | Kocatepe | FF-1063 | Reasoner | 07/31/71 | 08/28/93 | 20xx | |
| F253 | Zafer | FF-1092 | Thomas C. Hart | 07/28/73 | 08/30/93 | 20xx | |
| F254 | Trakya | FF-1084 | McCandless | 03/18/72 | 05/06/94 | 1994 | 20xx |
| F255 | Karadeniz | FF-1085 | Donald B. Beary | 07/22/72 | 05/20/94 | 2006 | |
| F256 | Ege | FF-1090 | Ainsworth | 03/31/73 | 05/27/94 | 1994 | 2005 |
| F257 | Akdeniz | FF-1079 | Bowen | 05/22/71 | 06/30/94 | 1994 | 2002 |
| parts hulk | FF-1080 | Paul | 08/14/71 | 08/14/92 | 2000 | 20xx | |
| parts hulk | FF-1082 | Elmer Montgomery | 10/30/71 | 06/30/93 | 1993 | 20xx | |
| parts hulk | FF-1091 | Miller | 06/30/73 | 10/15/91 | 2001 |
Knox class frigates
In 1995 Turkey acquired four Knox class frigates from the US. As Turkey's ex-Gearing and ex-Carpenter class destroyers aged and their maintenance costs grew, the Turkish Navy began looking for replacements. Perry class frigates from the US Navy were preferred because of their modern combat systems and gas turbine power plants; but sincethese ships were not yet available for transfer, in late 1992, Turkey asked for eight excess Knox class frigates, and committed $300 million for their lease and outfitting costs. A transfer of this magnitude could be expected to take a year or more, with the requisite training of hundreds of sailors in U.S. Navy schools, weapons allocations, and logistics requirements, but the Turkish Navy asked for delivery of the first four in only nine months. NAD, Navy IPO, and the USN systems commands established 13 FMS cases, covering all aspects of the transfer includingtraining, supply support, weapons, post-transfer maintenance, and Turkish shipyard improvements. Close liaison between all activities enabled the U.S. Navy to transfer the ships two months early.
Gearing class destroyers were replaced by Knox class frigates. Having accomplished the timely delivery of the first four frigates, NAD and the U.S. Navy were soon challenged again by the Turkish Navy to transfer the second set of four frigates in six months. Again, NAD established the necessary contacts and coordinated a smooth transfer which culminated in a dedication ceremony for all eight frigates at the main Turkish naval base at Golcukin July 1994, which was addressed by both the Turkish President and Prime Minister. Since their turnover, the ships operated safely and reliably, and significantly increased Turkish Navy capabilities.
With eight ex-Knox class frigates well integrated and operating within their Navy, Turkish Naval Forces Command (TNFC) sought the help and advice of NAD in the maintenance and upgrade of the ships. On the maintenance side, NAD coordinated several site surveys andassistance team visits to Turkish shipyards and is currently assisting with boiler inspections for theKnox class frigates. These visits include surveys of calibration facilities and circuit card repairfacilities, as well as a review of capabilities required specifically for the support of Knox classfrigates. To assist with the upgrade of Knox capabilities, NAD coordinated the transfer of 14 excess U.S. Navy SH-2F Sea Sprite helicopters and associated support equipment. The addition of these helicopters to the aviation arm of the Turkish Navy greatly enhanced capabilities in this area. Other initiatives by NAD significantly lowered the transfer cost of these aircraft andequipment to further assist the Turkish Navy.
The Turkish Navy received two non-operational Knox class frigate under the Southern Region Amendment (SRA), which provided for the transfer of excess U.S. defense equipment free of charge, to further modernization goals. These ships were utilized for spare parts to support the eight operational Knox frigates in the Turkish fleet. The introduction of the Knox frigates also placed new demands on training facilities within Turkey. To assist in modernization in this area, the Turkish Navy requested boiler training simulators and Close-in Weapon System (CIWS) trainers to be furnished through the SRA.
TF-2000 antiair-warfare (AAW) frigate
In early 2010 Turkey revived the ambitious program to build six TF-2000 antiair-warfare (AAW) frigates to bolster its Navy's defense capabilities, a project which is expected to cost around $3 billion in today's prices. The plan was shelved nine years earlier because of a severe economic crisis. Some experts say the vessels, whose start has been postponed several times, are really guided-missile destroyers. In 2006, Turkey's top procurement body, the Defense Industry Executive Committee, decided to revive the project and called for the manufacture of six TF-2000 frigates, instead of an earlier-planned eight. The 6,000-plus-ton vessels, to be built by Golcuk Naval Shipyard, are a local effort with foreign partner assistance.
The timetable calls for completing the design by 2011, with a Batch I contract signed for two vessels in 2014, and commissioning in 2021 and 2022 by one account. The first ship is planned to enter service in 2018, according to another source. Batch II, with three vessels, will proceed from 2023-28. Few details are known about weapons and sensors, but each ship will have 32 VLS cells, a Mk 41 launcher that fires Standard SM-2 and ESSM antiair missiles, two helicopters, a 127-mm. gun, antiship missiles and antisubmarine-warfare torpedoes.
The Undersecretariat for Defence Industries (SSM) initiated the TF-2000 Program to meet the Anti-Air Warfare Frigate requirement of Turkish Naval Forces Command. In this regard, Request for Information (RFI) was issued 15 January 2010 by SSM to gather administrative, financial and technical information for the systems from relevant companies/organizations for planning purposes of the Program.
- Directed Infrared Counter Measures
- Electric Generation and Distribution Systems
- Heating Ventilating Air Conditioning (HVAC)
- Integrated Platform Management System
- Laser Directed / Kinetic Energy Weapons
- Main Propulsion System
- Naval Gun System
LPD - Landing Platform, Dock
By 2010 the Turkish Navy was preparing to buy its first landing-platform dock, capable of overseas amphibious force deployment as part of NATO and peacekeeping efforts. A landing platform dock, or LPD, is an amphibious warship that transports elements of a landing force for expeditionary warfare missions. The landing ship dock will be required to be able to deploy a battalion-sized force of up to 1,000 troops and personnel, eight utility helicopters, three unmanned aerial vehicles, 13 tanks and 81 armored vehicles. The expected price tag of more than $500 million for the landing dock does not include the helicopters to be deployed on the ship.
The prime contractor for the $500 million project will be a local company, but because of the high degree of technology transfer required, there will also be heavy foreign-industry involvement. The Undersecretariat for the Defense Industry, or SSM, Turkey"s defense-procurement agency, opened a competition in late February 2010 among seven domestic companies that are expected to establish partnerships with foreign counterparts, including Italian, South Korean, Spanish, Dutch, French, British and German firms, according to procurement officials and business sources familiar with the program.
F-100 - Milgem frigate
The first eight Milgem class warships, from the Turkish words Milli Gemi (National Ship), are classified as corvettes, while the last four are the F-100 class and are classified as frigates. The F-100 class will be slightly larger in terms of dimensions and will be equipped with the Mk.41 VLS and ESSM, along with other additional systems for improved multirole combat capabilities. The Mk.41 VLS (Vertical Launching System) is capable of firing ESSM (Evolved Sea Sparrow), VLA (Vertical Launch Anti-Submarine Rocket), and Standard missiles, and the F-100 class frigates will be used as a testing platform for the new class of four indigenous AAW frigates of the Turkish Navy, known as the TF-2000 program. The experience and technological know-how gained with the Milgem project will play an important role in determining the design characteristics and the development process of the TF-2000 class frigates, as well as the selection of the systems and equipment which will be used on these ships.
TCG Heybeliada - Milgem Corvette
Milgem, from the Turkish words Milli Gemi (National Ship), is the name of the Turkish corvette program; the purpose of which is to build a modern littoral combat warship with indigenous capabilities, extensively using the principles of stealth technology in its design. When the Milgem project was officially launched in 1996, the initial plan was to locally build MEKO A-100 corvettes of Blohm+Voss, a German shipbuilding company which specialized in building high technology warships and submarines. In the early 2000s, the partnership plan with Blohm+Voss was shelved and the Turkish Navy decided to design and build a completely indigenous corvette. Istanbul Naval Shipyard Command executes and coordinates the design, development and construction works of the Milgem project since 12 March 2004.The design concept and mission profile of Milgem bears similarities with the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS-1) developed by Lockheed Martin as the first member of the next generation of USN warships.
Construction of the first Milgem class corvette, TCG Heybeliada, began on 26 July 2005. TCG Heybeliada put to sea on 27 September 2008 and was scheduled to be completed by 25 October 2010, when it would start undergoing full sea trials before being officially commissioned. It was expected to enter service in 2011. A total of twelve Milgem class warships (eight corvettes and four frigates) will be built for the Turkish Navy, with possible exports to other countries.
Milgem, as a national naval development program, is seen as a precursor of the TF-2000.
| Type | Corvette |
| Displacement | 2,000 t |
| Length | 99.00 m |
| Beam | 14.40 m |
| Draft | 3.75 m |
| Propulsion | 1 gas turbine, 2 diesels, 2 shafts, 30,000 kW |
| Speed | Economy: 15 knots Maximum: 29+ knots |
| Range | 3,500 nautical miles (6,480 km) @ 15 knots |
| Endurance | 21 days with logistic support 10 days autonomous |
| Complement | 93 including aviation officers, with accommodation for up to 104 |
| Sensors and processing systems | |
| Fire control | G-MSYS (Genesis Milgem Savas Yönetim Sistemi) |
| Search radar | Aselsan 3D search radar or EADS TRS-3D |
| Other sensors | X-Band radar, fire control radar, navigation radar, LPI radar, sonar |
| Navigation and communication systems | Electronic Navigation, SatCom, ECDIS/WECDIS, GPS, LAN |
| Combat Management System | GENESIS (Gemi Entegre Savas Idare Sistemi) |
| Navigation and ship control | EPKIS (Entegre Platform Kontrol ve Izleme Sistemi) |
| Integrated Platform Management System | Imtech UniMACS 3000 |
| Electronic warfare and decoys | EW radar, Laser/RF systems, ASW jammers, DG, SSTD |
| Armament: | |
| Guns |
|
| Anti-surface missile | 8 x Harpoon Missile (or RBS15 Mk.III) |
| Anti-aircraft missile | 21 x RAM (Rolling Airframe Missile) PDMS |
| Torpedoes | 2 x 324 mm Mk.32 triple launchers for Mk.46 torpedoes |
| Considered Options | ESSM (Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile) |
| Aircraft | Hangar and platform for S-70-B2 Sea Hawk ASW helicopters and/or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), with the capability of storing armaments, 20 tons of JP-5 aircraft fuel, aerial refueling (HIRF) systems and maintenance systems |
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