Wikipedia

İstif-class frigate

The Istif-class frigates are a group of eight[2] multirole frigates currently being constructed for the Turkish Naval Forces.[13] Developed under the MILGEM national warship program as the I-class frigate, the Istanbul class is an enlarged version of the Ada-class anti-submarine corvette, with enhanced endurance and MIDLAS Vertical Launching System (VLS) for multi-role capability.[9] On 19 January 2017, Turkish Navy held a ceremonial steel cut for the lead ship TCG Istanbul (F 515).[14] Istanbul was laid down on 3 July 2017 and launched on 23 January 2021.[15][9]

TCG Istanbul (F-515) at the Bosporus strait, during the naval parade for celebrating the centennial of the Turkish Republic, October 29, 2023.
Class overview
NameIstif class
BuildersIstanbul Naval Shipyard
Operators Turkish Naval Forces
Preceded byBarbaros class
Built2017–present
In commission2024-present
Planned8[1][2]
Building7
Completed1[3]
Active1
General characteristics
TypeMultirole frigate
Displacement3,100 tonnes
Length113.2 m (371 ft 5 in)
Beam14.40 m (47 ft 3 in)
Draft4.05 m (13 ft 3 in)
Installed power4 x 560kw Generator[4]
Propulsion
  • 1 x LM2500 Gas turbine[4]
  • 2 x 5.766HP MTU Diesel Machine[4]
  • 2 x Controllable Pitch Propeller (CPP)[4]
Speed
  • Economy: 14 kn (26 km/h; 16 mph)
  • Maximum: 29 kn (54 km/h; 33 mph)
Range5.700 nmi (10.556 km; 6.559 mi) at 14 kn (26 km/h; 16 mph)[4]
Boats & landing
craft carried		2 x RHIB
Complement123[4]
Sensors and
processing systems
  • Radars: Cenk-400N 4D AESA search radar, ASELSAN ALPER-200N LPI Surface Radar, AKREP-300N (AKR-D Block B-1/2) Fire Control Radar,[5]
  • Systems: TAKS-100/76GFCS main gun fire control system, ATMACA 100/AFCS anti-ship missile fire control system, HİSAR 100N/FCS air defence missile fire control system, KULAÇ Sounder system, DEMES meteorological measurement system, AHTAPOT-100 Electro-optical director, PIRI-100 IRST, ANS 510-M gyro system,[6] LIAS 200-N Advanced Laser Warning Receiver System,[4] Infrared Trace Management System,[4] SeaEye-AHTAPOT EO Reconnaissance and Surveillance system[5]
  • Sonar: FERSAH 100N/MF hull mounted sonar[5]
  • Communications: SATCOM, Link 11/16, Link 22 Local Area Network, Internal Communication System, Underwater phone[4][7]
  • Combat Systems: ADVENT Combat Management system,[4] GEMS Integrated combat system, IdentIFF M5 TPX & I/LR IFF system, AcroSAT Ku-120-M Satellite combat system, AcroSAT Ku-150-M Satellite combat system[8]
Electronic warfare
& decoys
  • ESM: ASELSAN ARES 2N/NGE[9]
  • ECM: AREAS 2NC/E[9]
  • ARES-NEWS Central management system
  • Decoy: Aselsan HIZIR Torpedo countermeasures system[9]
  • KARTACA-N Decoy ejection system[10]
Armament
Aircraft carried

History and background

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The Istif class has its origins in the Turkish MILGEM project for developing national warships and warship building industry. The program calls for the construction of a warship family in three classes, where all vessels would be designed with high degree of commonality. First product of the project emerged as Ada-class anti-submarine/patrol corvette. The Istanbul class, originally known as the TF-100 class under MILGEM-G designation, belongs to the second development phase, where structure of the Ada class vessel is extended to host multi-role capabilities.

Design

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The Istif class[16] is an enlarged variant of the Ada class and will feature a slightly larger hull for improved endurance. In addition to retaining the guns, self protection and anti-submarine warfare systems of the Ada class,[17] the Istif class will have twice the number of anti-ship missiles[17] and will be equipped with the indigenous MDAS vertical launching system,[9] capable of firing HISAR and other missiles, along with other systems for improved multi-role combat capabilities. The experience and technological know-how gained with the Istanbul class will play an important role in determining the design characteristics and the development process of the TF-2000-class destroyers, as well as the selection of the systems and equipment which will be used on these significantly larger and more capable warships.

The first ship of the class, TCG Istanbul, was laid down on 19 January 2017. The fifth and largest modern warship to be both indigenously designed and built in Turkey, it is claimed that at least 75% of its systems will be of indigenous manufacture.[18] Its steel cutting ceremony was attended by Turkish Defence Minister Fikri Işık and senior military officers, including Admiral Bülent Bostanoğlu, Commander of the Turkish Naval Forces.

Construction took six years and the vessel was commissioned into service on 19 January 2024.[19][20]

 
Model of TCG Istanbul (F-515)

Export

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It was stated in Aselsan 2023 Annual report that İstif class frigate was exported to an unnamed Middle Eastern country.[21]

Ships in the class

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F515 TCG Istanbul, the lead ship of Turkish Navy's Istif-class multipurpose frigates, as it traverses the Bosphorus in celebration of the 100th year of the Republic of Türkiye.
Pennant no. Name Namesake Builder Launched Commissioned Status Note
F-515 TCG Istanbul Istanbul Istanbul Naval Shipyard 23 January 2021 19 January 2024 In service [22]
F-516 TCG İzmir Izmir Anadolu Shipyard Planned Under Construction[14]
F-517 TCG İzmit İzmit Sedef Shipyard Planned Under Construction[15]
F-518 TCG İçel İçel Sefine Shipyard Planned Under Construction[15]
F-519 Fifth ship N/A Anadolu Shipyard Planned Under Construction[23]
F-520 Sixth ship N/A Sedef Shipyard Planned Under Construction[24]
F-521 Seventh ship N/A Planned [25]
F-522 Eight ship N/A Planned

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Yerli Uçak Gemimizin Tasarım Aşaması Başlıyor!". 3 January 2024.
  2. ^ a b Kate Tringham (5 January 2024). "Turkey approves plans for aircraft carrier, additional Istanbul-class frigates". www.janes.com. Janes.
  3. ^ @defencehublive (31 December 2020). "Better quality👇" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p "İ (İSTİF) Sınıfı Fırkateyn Özellikleri | SavunmaSanayiST". 23 January 2023.
  5. ^ a b c "Turkey launches the lead ship of I-class frigates "Istanbul"". 23 January 2021.
  6. ^ https://x.com/aselsan/status/1798304860083028132 [bare URL]
  7. ^ "İSTANBUL fırkateyni envantere girmeye hazırlanıyor". 27 October 2023.
  8. ^ https://x.com/aselsan/status/1798304860083028132 [bare URL]
  9. ^ a b c d e f g "Turkey Launches The Lead Ship Of I-Class Frigates "Istanbul"". Naval News. 23 January 2021. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
  10. ^ https://x.com/aselsan/status/1798304860083028132 [bare URL]
  11. ^ "SSB'den SAPAN Hava Savunma Füzesi müjdesi | SavunmaSanayiST". 16 December 2023.
  12. ^ https://x.com/aselsan/status/1798304860083028132 [bare URL]
  13. ^ "Turkish MoD Orders Final 3 I-Class Frigates From Private Shipyards". Naval News. 24 January 2023. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
  14. ^ a b "İlk milli fırkateynin yapımına başlandı" (in Turkish). TRT Haber. 19 January 2017. Retrieved 1 February 2017.
  15. ^ a b c "KINALIADA Korveti Denize İndirme ve İSTANBUL Fırkateyni İnşa Başlangıç Töreni" (Press release) (in Turkish). Turkish Naval Forces. 3 July 2017. Archived from the original on 16 May 2018. Retrieved 3 July 2017.
  16. ^ "Turkish Navy set to build its own frigate". Hürriyet Daily News. 21 December 2012. Retrieved 1 February 2017.
  17. ^ a b Khan, Bilal (19 January 2017). "Turkey Begins Building First Istanbul Class Frigate". Quwa.org. Retrieved 1 February 2017.
  18. ^ "Turkey begins construction of first national frigate 'Istanbul'". 19 January 2017. Retrieved 1 February 2017.
  19. ^ "MİLGEM: İ (İstif) Sınıfı Fırkateyn". 10 May 2019.
  20. ^ Sabah, Daily (19 January 2024). "Türkiye delivers new ships, sea drone in fresh bolster for navy". Daily Sabah. Retrieved 21 January 2024.
  21. ^ "️ İsmi belirtilmeyen bir Orta Doğu ülkesine İ (İSTİF) sınıfı fırkateyn ihraç edildi. Aynı zamanda yine ismi belirsiz bir Orta Doğu ülkesine dört adet MİLGEM sınıfı korvet ihracatı gerçekleştirildi. — ASELSAN 2023 Faaliyet Raporu". gdh.digital (in Turkish). Retrieved 8 July 2024.
  22. ^ "Türk Donanması'na dört yeni gemi teslim edildi". www.aa.com.tr. Retrieved 19 January 2024.
  23. ^ "Türk Loydu ve Anadolu Tersanesi'nden LTC anlaşması". Deniz Haber (in Turkish). 13 June 2024. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
  24. ^ Kaya, Gülsüm (2 July 2024). "Yeni İstif sınıfı fırkateynin inşasına başlandı!". DefenceTurk (in Turkish). Retrieved 2 July 2024.
  25. ^ "MİLGEM 9,10,11 ve 12'nci gemiler için kritik karar" (in Turkish). 3 January 2024. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
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