Anadolu Shipyard Lays Keel of Turkey’s 2nd İ-Class Frigate TCG Izmir
On November 15, 2023, Turkey’s Anadolu Shipyard (ADİK) laid the first block of TCG İzmir (F-516), the 2nd Ship of the MİLGEM İ-Class Frigate Project, at its Tuzla campus. The keel laying ceremony was attended by Anadolu Shipyard Chairman Süalp Ömer Ürkmez, senior company employees and industry representatives.
The MİLGEM İ-class frigate project is a continuation of the MİLGEM Project, which began in 2004. Four ADA class corvettes were built as part of the MİLGEM Project: TCG Heybeliada (F-511), TCG Büyükada (F-512), TCG Burgazada, and TCG Kınalıada (F-514). The delivery of these ships, built by the primary contractor STM Defense, began in 2011 and continued until 2019. During this time, Turkey was also able to export MİLGEM ADA Class Corvettes to Pakistan and Ukraine. Following the delivery of MİLGEM ADA Class Corvettes, a contract was signed in April 2019 between the Turkish Defense Industry Agency (SSB) and STM for the construction of the TCG Istanbul (F-515) Frigate, which is the continuation of the project’s second phase. The TCG ISTANBUL (F-515) Frigate was launched on January 23, 2021, with port acceptance tests and sea trials beginning in May 2022. TCG Istanbul, which is now undergoing sea trials, will be delivered to the Turkish Naval Forces Command in the coming days.
Turkey’s Defense Industry Agency (SSB) later signed a new contract on April 6, 2023, for the construction of an additional three İ-class frigates with STM-TAİS Joint Venture, in addition to TCG Istanbul. The TCG İZMR (F-516), TCG İÇEL (F-517), and TCG İZMT (F-518) frigates to be built within the scope of the contract will be produced simultaneously in three different shipyards (Sedef, Anadolu, and Sefine shipyards). These ships, whose first sheet metal cutting ceremony took place on April 10, 2023, will be delivered to the Turkish Naval Forces in the first quarter of 2026.
According to STM, MİLGEM İ-Class frigates are notable for their anti-submarine, surface, and air defense warfare capabilities, outpost operations, reconnaissance, surveillance, target detection, identification, and recognition capabilities, and early warning capabilities. These frigates are structurally distinct from ADA class corvettes and are 113 meters long, 14.4 meters wide, and have a displacement of 3100 tons. In comparison to the ADA class, the frigates’ length has been extended by 10 meters due to modifications to their weapon systems and equipment. In comparison to ADA Class Corvettes, İ-Class Frigates will be able to travel farther and with greater endurance thanks to their two MTU 20V 4000 M93L diesel engines and LM2500 gas turbine. The İ-Class Frigates will have space for 123 personnel in addition to a sizable flight deck in the stern that can accommodate the multipurpose helicopter, the 10t class SH-70 SeaHawk. On board the ship will also be domestic solutions including the close air defense system Gökdeniz, the three-dimensional search radar Cenk-S, the fire control radar Akrep, the target illumination radar, the torpedo tube, the National Vertical Launch System MIDLAS, and Hisar-D.