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BURAK CLASS CORVETTES

Burak-class corvettes, which are six in the Turkish Navy inventory, were purchased from French Navy in 2000 and transferred to Turkish Navy in 2001-2002. A total of 10 ships of this class still operated in French Navy. Their robust designs and economical drive systems allow them to be used in remote offshore operations. Designed for coastal ASW missions, these ships are very economical and seaworthy. Besides ASW missions these ships are also used for patrolling, escorting, search and rescue missions. The Exocet anti-ship missile has entered in to service with the commissioning of these ships.

The ships were comissioned in the French Navy in the 1980s, and by 2020 were between the ages of 43 and 46. These ships were planned to be taken out of inventory in the past years. However, the ships could not be taken out of the inventory due to the delay of the Turkish Navy new shipbuilding programs, the tension in the region and the expansion of the Turkish Navy's mission area.

Photos of the Burak class F-503 TCG Beykoz corvette of the Turkish Navy were reflected on social media in July 2020. According to the image shared by “Viya”, TCG Beykoz corvette, formerly called the D'Estienne d'Orves (Aviso) class in the French Navy, had been updated on the head turret and radar. According to the images examined, the systems added to the ship are as follows:

• Instead of French-made 100 mm CADAM Ball, Italian Auto Malara 76 mm head ball
• Instead of the French DRBC 32E fire control radar, domestic ASELSAN AKR tracking and fire control radar
• Native ASELSAN 51D Search Radar (MAR-D) instead of French DRBV 3A search radar

Defense Turk Author and Naval Engineer Kozan Selçuk Erkan noted "Regarding the modernized Burak class; “Replaced 100mm guns were a heavy and slow gun. In addition, there is a high dependency on France for spare parts and ammunition. Aviso, Burak class ships are good ships according to their age. They are easy to operate, inexpensive and robust ships. The French Navy retired the ships they built to replace the Avisos early and put the Avisos back on duty, with the head gun removed.”

Regarding the use of Corvet, Erkan said, “There is still no equivalent for corvette design in Greece. They deploy a patrol boat or frigate across the corvettes. For this reason, it is very beneficial for them to remain on duty through cost-effective modifications.” The lanchers with Javelin and L-UMTAS designed by Roketsan in the Burak class corvettes were added. Integration of this system into more ships, which will act as a deterrent especially for the close targets in the Aegean, is among the possible scenarios.

The ships will be gradually lifted with the introduction of the Ada class corvettes.