F-511 TCG Heybeliada, the lead ship of the MİLGEM project, at the Istanbul Naval Shipyard Command on 15 September 2008. |
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| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Name: | MİLGEM |
| Builders: | Istanbul Naval Shipyard |
| Operators: | Turkish Navy |
| Subclasses: | Ada class TF-100 class |
| Built: | 2007 - present |
| In service: | 2011 - present |
| Building: | 1 |
| Planned: | 12 |
| Completed: | 2 |
| Active: | 1 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type: | Patrol and Anti-Submarine Warfare[1] |
| Type: | Corvette / Frigate |
| Displacement: | 2,300 tonnes |
| Length: | 99.56 m |
| Beam: | 14.40 m |
| Draft: | 3.89 m |
| Installed power: | Main: 31,640 kW CODAG Aux: 4 x 588 kW |
| Propulsion: | 1 gas turbine, 2 diesels, 2 shafts |
| Speed: | Economy: 15 knots Maximum: 30 knots |
| Range: | 3,500 nautical miles (6,480 km) @ 15 knots |
| Endurance: | 21 days with logistic support 10 days autonomous |
| Boats and landing craft carried: |
2 Rhib |
| Complement: | 93 including aviation officers, with accommodation for up to 106 |
| Sensors and processing systems: |
Combat Management System: G-MSYS (GENESIS MİLGEM Savaş Yönetim Sistemi) |
| Electronic warfare and decoys: |
SIGINT: ARES-2N[3] Others: Laser/RF systems, ASW jammers, DG, SSTD |
| Armament: |
Guns:
Anti-surface missiles:
Anti-aircraft missiles:
Torpedoes:
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| Aircraft carried: |
Hangar and platform for: |
| Aviation facilities: | Capability of storing armaments, 20 tons of JP-5 aircraft fuel, aerial refueling (HIRF) and maintenance systems |
The MİLGEM project, from the Turkish words Milli Gemi (National Ship), is a Turkish national warship program, the purpose of which is to build a modern littoral combat warship with indigenous anti-submarine warfare and high-seas patrol capabilities, extensively using the principles of stealth technology in its design.[1]
The project covers construction of eight corvettes and four frigates for the Turkish Navy, with possible exports to other countries.[4]
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When the MİLGEM 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 specializes 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 use its own resources for the design, development and construction of a completely indigenous corvette. The MİLGEM Project Office of the Istanbul Naval Shipyard Command executes and coordinates the design, development and construction works of the MİLGEM project since 12 March 2004.
By developing the MİLGEM project, Turkey aims to build a warship using local resources to the maximum extent possible, and improve national military shipbuilding capacity and skills. The objectives of the MILGEM project are to enhance the littoral warfare capabilities and to meet the operational requirements of the Turkish Navy.[4][5]
More than 50 local companies, including the largest defense firms, Aselsan, Havelsan and STM Inc., play significant role in the MİLGEM project, gaining invaluable experience in warship design and construction.[6]
The project is generally described as the subclasses of multi-purpose warships capable of sustaining a sea war in a littoral combat environment.
MİLGEM Project Office (MPO) of the Turkish Navy Research and Development Center Command (ARMERKOM) designed and developed the vessel platform. MİLGEM's design concept covers a multipurpose patrol warship, which can be deployed in a range of missions, including reconnaissance, surveillance, target identification, early warning, anti-submarine warfare, surface-to-surface and surface-to-air warfare, and amphibious operations. It features a steel hull and fragmentation resistant composite superstructure. Fore and aft masts and the funnel have been constructed with sea resistant aluminium alloys. The class ships are designed to fully operate at sea state 5 and partially operate at sea state 6. Reduction and management of the ship signatures was taken as the major input during the whole design phase. Many classified precautions were taken in order to reduce hydrodynamic, acoustic, magnetic, IR, radar signatures, and therefore, to achieve the specified level of stealth feature.[4] Collective Protection Zones are designed to ensure the ships ability under NBC conditions. Locally designed degaussing system minimizes the magnetic signature for protection against the magnetic mines.
The design concept and mission profile of the MİLGEM class bears similarities with the Freedom class littoral combat ship developed by Lockheed Martin as the first member of the next generation of USN warships, though the MİLGEM class corvettes are more heavily armed, while the LCS-1 has a higher speed and variable mission modules.[7]
GENESIS, a network-centric combat management system contracted for the two ships on May 23, 2007, was developed by Havelsan.[8][9] The MİLGEM class warships have an indigenous hull mounted sonar developed by the Scientific and Technological Research Foundation of Turkey.[10] The class features a digital chart precise integrated navigation system (ECPINS) supplied by OSI Geospatial.[11] Integrated Platform Management System (IPMS), delivered by Yaltes JV, monitors and controls machinery, auxiliary systems, electrical power generation and distribution. The main systems integrated in IPMS include a power management system, fire detection system, fire fighting and damage control system, CCTV system and stability control system.[12]
According to the MILGEM acquisition model, Turkey's Undersecretariat for Defence Industries (SSM) signed R&D contracts mostly for the two prototype ships which are considered to be development platforms for testing the design and integrated systems. Thus, being an open-end project, 1st and 2nd ships of the class are expected to be slightly different in terms of vessel design and system configuration. The subsequent ships, expected to be built by private shipyards, will have more optimised design and configuration.[5]
Eight of the twelve MİLGEM class warships will be classified as the Ada class corvette, while four of them will be equipped with additional weapon systems and will be classified as the TF-100 class frigate.
The TF-100 class will feature a slightly larger hull and will be equipped with the Mk.41 VLS, capable of firing RIM-66 Standard, RIM-162 ESSM and VL ASROC missiles, along with other systems for improved multi-role combat capabilities. The experience and technological know-how gained with the MİLGEM 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 significantly larger and more capable warships.
Construction works of the first corvette, TCG Heybeliada (F-511), began on 22 January 2007. TCG Heybeliada was launched with a ceremony on September 27, 2008, that was attended by Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Prime Minister of Turkey. On November 2, 2010, TCG Heybeliada started undergoing sea acceptance trials before being officially commissioned.[13][14] TCG Heybeliada (F-511) entered navy service on 27 September 2011.[15]
Meanwhile, production of the second MİLGEM class warship, TCG Büyükada (F-512) was also commenced on September 27, 2008. TCG Büyükada will incorporate the ASELSAN radar (instead of the SMART-S Mk2) and also use the Mk.41 VLS. It will be a prototype for the TF-100 class multi-role frigates.
According to the local newspaper Hurriyet, cost of the TCG Heybeliada is about US$260 million.[16]
According to a CNN Türk news report on September 27, 2008, the navies of Canada, Pakistan, Ukraine and a number of South American countries have expressed interest in acquiring MİLGEM class warships.[17] The Pakistan Navy shows interest in acquiring four MİLGEM class corvettes over a 10-year program, of which three to be manufactured in local shipyards. On the 6th of April 2011, Indonesia and Turkey signed cooperation agreement on defense industry including the construction of two MİLGEM class corvettes for the Indonesian Navy.[18]
| Name/Pennant No. | Namesake | Builder | Laid down | Launched | Commissioned | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TCG Heybeliada (F-511) | Heybeliada | Istanbul Naval Shipyard Command | 22 January 2007 | 27 September 2008 | 27 September 2011 | On active duty with the Turkish Navy |
| TCG Büyükada (F-512) | Büyükada | Istanbul Naval Shipyard Command | 27 September 2008 | 27 September 2011 | - | Subsystems, weapons systems and equipment integration is in progress |
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