Turkey's First National Frigate Tested MİDLAS

13/03/2024 34 Istanbul, Naval Defense, GENERAL, HEADLINE, Marmara Region, DEFENSE, TURKIYE

Turkey's first national Vertical Launch Launcher System (MIDLAS) was successfully tested on Turkey's first national frigate TCG İSTANBUL (F-515), built under the main contractor of STM.

A critical milestone has been passed within the scope of the MİLGEM 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th Ships Vertical Launch System Supply Project, which was initiated by the Presidency of the Republic of Turkey, Presidency of Defense Industries, to meet the needs of the Naval Forces Command and carried out as the main contractor by Roketsan. . Having completed its sea acceptance tests, the National Vertical Launch Launcher System (MİDLAS) successfully fired the HİSAR-D RF missile from the TCG Istanbul frigate for the first time. With this test, for the first time in Turkey, a national air defense missile was fired from a naval platform using a national launcher. Another important success in the firing tests was the launch of the HİSAR-D RF missile by using all other ship radar/sensor and fire control systems in an integrated manner, especially the national battle management system ADVENT in TCG Istanbul.

The shooting activity was attended by Presidential Defense Industry President Prof. Dr. Haluk Görgün, Naval Forces Commander Admiral Ercüment Tatlıoğlu, Presidency Defense Industry Vice Presidents Hüseyin Avşar and Gökhan Uçar, Roketsan General Manager Murat İkin, Aselsan General Manager Ahmet Akyol, Havelsan General Manager Mehmet Akif Nacar and STM General Manager Özgür Güleryüz attended.

Prof. Dr. Haluk Görgün, in his statement, said, “I would like to wholeheartedly congratulate our Naval Forces Command personnel, as well as Roketsan, Aselsan, Havelsan and STM companies, who took part in this critical success. "May the 'vertical launch capability' of our warships and the 'national air defense umbrella' our navy gained in this way be beneficial to our country," he said.

STM General Manager Özgür Güleryüz, in his post on his Twitter account, wished that the development would be beneficial for the Turkish Navy and the Turkish Defense Industry and said, "Our frigate #TCGISTANBUL, the warship with the highest domestic production rate in Turkey, which we have brought to our Navy under the leadership of our Presidency of Defense Industries and the main contractor of STM, has It will create a multiplier effect in the defense of the #BlueHomeland with its weapons, electronic warfare and sensor systems. "As Turkey's engineering power at sea, we will continue to equip our Navy with leading combat platforms with advanced technology," he said.

Warship with the Highest Locality Rate in Turkey: TCG İSTANBUL

Turkey's first national frigate, TCG İSTANBUL (F-515), of which STM Defense Technologies Engineering and Trade Inc., Turkey's engineering power at sea, is the main contractor, was held at the "Power to the Blue Homeland: New Naval Platforms Delivery Ceremony" on January 19. It entered the inventory of the Turkish Naval Forces Command.

TCG İSTANBUL (F-515), which is the first Turkish frigate designed by Turkish engineers, has a different place from ADA class corvettes due to its structure. The difference between TCG İSTANBUL (F-515) and other I-class frigates from the Ada-class corvettes is that they have the ability to carry and launch air-guided projectiles.

Developed for submarine and surface warfare, air defense, outpost activities, reconnaissance, surveillance, target detection, identification, recognition and early warning missions, the national frigate is 113 meters long and 14,4 meters wide. TCG İSTANBUL, built at Istanbul Shipyard Command; It has advanced and national solutions such as ATMACA Cruise Missile developed by Roketsan, MİDLAS Vertical Launch Launcher System, Gökdeniz Close Air Defense System developed by ASELSAN, Cenk-S AESA Radar, and ADVENT Combat Management System developed by HAVELSAN under the leadership of the Naval Forces Command. Within the scope of the project, around 150 subcontractor companies have collaborated for more than 80 systems, while a total of 220 different companies have contributed.

8 Class I Ships Will Be Built

Work for MİLGEM 6-7-8th ships, which will be sisters to Turkey's first national frigate TCG İSTANBUL, started in 2023 in STM-TAİS Business Partnership. It is aimed that the national frigates (TCG İZMİR, TCG İÇEL and TCG İZMİT) will be built within 36 months and put into service with the Turkish Navy. At the Defense Industry Executive Board (SSİK) Meeting held on January 3, 2024, under the chairmanship of President Erdoğan, MİLGEM Class I Frigates 9-10-11-12. The decision to build the ships has been taken and the number of Class I Frigates to be built within the scope of the project has increased to 8.