Turkey Continues National Ship Project (MILGEM), Builds Three Warships At Once

TCG Burgazada (F-513) Korvet Ada-class kapal ketiga proyek MILGEM. (Wikimedia Commons/US Navy/Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Louis Staats)

JAKARTA - Turkey's main defense industry body announced Wednesday it will continue building its military force, holding a tender for the manufacture of three frigate-type warships as part of the National Ships project (MILGEM).

The Turkish Presidency of Defense Industries (SSB) said the production rate of domestically made spare parts in the new ships would be higher than before.

Ismail Demir, head of the SSB said they would continue their efforts to meet the needs of the security forces with the most advanced technology, with the aim of 'a completely independent Turkey in the defense industry.'

The defense of the 'Blue Motherland', which Turkey calls the sea that surrounds the country, occupies an important place in this effort, Demir said, as the military moves to increase its naval power.

"Our domestic industrial companies have the capability and capability to build ships that are unmatched around the world at competitive costs," Demir said quoting Daily Sabah from Anadolu December 22.

"With these strengths, we are taking another important step in the MILGEM Project. The tender process for the sixth, seventh and eighth vessels has already begun. The level of locality will be much higher."

"We aim to make our ships available to security forces as soon as possible. Our new ships will include more domestic equipment and weapons systems," Demir continued, adding that domestic warships would strengthen the navy's stance that instills trust in friends and fear in enemy.

The project includes the construction of ships that will carry out reconnaissance and surveillance, target detection, identification and recognition, early warning missions, base and port defense, anti-submarine warfare (ASW), surface warfare, air defense warfare, amphibious operations and patrol activities for Naval Command.

Except for systems requiring further development, upgrading or localization, the ship will be on par with MILGEM's fifth ship, the Istanbul Frigate, which is an advanced version of the previous corvette built under the same programme.

Bidders for production must have a domestic shipyard or design subcontractor, must cooperate with a domestic shipyard. For tenders, it is also required to have undertaken or executed a military surface platform design/construction project with SSB, or to be a partner of a company that meets these requirements.

To note, the MILGEM project has so far completed deliveries of Ada class corvettes, the first being the TCG Heybeliada in 2011, the second being the TCG Büyükada in 2013, the third TCG Burgazada in 2018 and the fourth vessel, the TCG Kınalıada in 2019.

Meanwhile, the Istanbul Frigate (F-515), which was produced through close public-private cooperation, as well as the destination for the upcoming period, was launched in January this year.

The Istanbul TCG, which has different features from the previous four corvettes, is 70 percent local.

As well as domestically, Turkey is also producing MILGEM corvettes for the Pakistan Navy as part of previously signed deals, and for Ukraine, which are said to include technology transfer.