Anadolu Shipyard announced the event on its social media accounts including the video of the ceremony held in company facilities in Tuzla, Istanbul.
The keel laying took place at a time when the lead ship of the class, TCG Istanbul, is counting down the days until commissioning. TCG Istanbul is currently undergoing sea trials and is scheduled to enter service by the end of this year.
The Turkish Defence Agency (SSB) signed a contract with STM-TAIS partnership for the construction of the remaining 3 I-class frigates.
These three frigates will be built concurrently at the Sefine, Anadolu, and Sedef Shipyards, which are the partners of TAIS consortium. The shipyards are projected to deliver the frigates in 36 months. These three shipyards have previous experience with naval ship projects: Sefine Shipyard is building the Turkish Navy’s DIMDEG fleet oiler and MARLIN USV, Anadolu Shipyard has built amphibious vessels for the Turkish Navy and Qatari Emiri Naval Forces, and Sedef Shipyard is building the Turkish Navy’s future flagship LHD Anadolu.
About I-Class (Istif-class) Frigate
The I-class Frigate Program was launched to construct four frigates to replace aging YAVUZ-class Frigates in the mid-2020s. Developed under the MILGEM indigenous warship program, the Istanbul class is an enlarged variant of the Ada-class anti-submarine corvette. The I-class Frigates will have around 50% increased fuel capacity and operational/sailing range capability compared to Ada-class Corvettes.
The I-class frigates have the configuration to conduct detection, determination of position, classification, identification, and destruction of the target and NGFS. The I-class Frigate is designed to conduct maritime surveillance and patrol operations, inspection, and surveillance of EEZ besides preventing potential threats.
| Length Overall | : 113.2 meters |
| Length Waterline | : 105.2 meters |
| Beam Max | : 14.4 meters |
| Draught | : 4.05 meters |
| Displacement | : 3,000 tons |
| Maximum Speed | : 29+ knots |
| Cruise Speed | : 14 knots |
| Endurance | : 5,700 Nm at 14 knots |
| Main Propulsion | : CODAG (2xMTU Diesel engines + 1xLM2500 gas turbine) 2x shafts and CPP propellers |
| Power Generation | : 4 x 560kw diesel generator |
| CMS | : HAVELSAN ADVENT |
| Sensor Suit | : – Aselsan CENK-S AESA radar – Aselsan ALPER-P LPI navigational radar – 2xAKR-D Fire Control radars – ASELFLIR-300T, PIRI KATS, and AHTAPOT EO systems – FERSAH hull-mounted sonar – HIZIR Torpedo Countermeasures System – Laser warning system – Aselsan ARES 2N (V2) ESM |
| Weapons | : – 16-cell MIDLAS indigenous VLS for launching HISAR family of surface-to-air missiles – 4×4 ATMACA anti-ship missiles – Aselsan Gokdeniz CIWS – 76 mm Super Rapid Gun – 2 x 25 mm Aselsan STOP machine gun – 2×3 Lightweight torpedo (MK-46 Mod 5 / Roketsan ORKA) |
