The Ship Model Forum

Turkey to make its own maritime missile-launching system after sanctions interrupt Lockheed plans
By: Tayfun Ozberk ? 1 day ago
MERSIN, Turkey � Turkish defense company Roketsan is to develop a vertical launching system for the country�s first locally made frigate, after American sanctions disrupted original procurement plans, said naval platforms acquisition official Alper Kose.
The future MDAS, which stands for Milli Dikey Atis Sistemi (or in English, National Vertical Launch System), is to equip the TCG Istanbul, the lead ship of Turkey�s I-class frigates. Turkey�s top defense procurement official, Ismail Demir, had announced Jan. 23 at the warship�s launch ceremony that the vessel would be fitted with an indigenous VLS. Until now it was unclear who would manufacture the national missile launching system and what would be its specifications.
The government initially planned to install the Mk 41 VLS, made by American firm Lockheed Martin. However, sanctions imposed on Turkey through the U.S. Countering America�s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act prevented the sale of the MK 41 VLS. The U.S brought about the sanctions after Turkey bought the Russian S-400 air defense system.
Kose, who leads the naval platforms unit at the defense procurement agency Presidency of Defence Industries, or SSB, said the government hired missile-manufacturer Roketsan to develop MDAS.
�The FMS was not approved for using the U.S.-made Mk 41 as a vertical launch system for the Milgem [naval project�s] fifth ship. Thus, we inked an agreement with Roketsan and rearranged the contract so that Roketsan will develop the VLS,� Kose told Turkish media.
A source with a subcontractor working on the project told Defense News that the MDAS will be similar to the Mk 41. �However, it has some structural differences, like its height. MDAS will be 8 meters long � 30 centimeters longer than Mk 41,� the source said on condition of anonymity.
�The system will be capable of embarking and launching indigenous missiles, including H?SAR surface-to-air missile family ... and ATMACA anti-ship missiles,� the source added. �Turkey has gained enough know-how experience to develop an indigeno

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Here�s what we know about Turkey�s newly launched homemade frigate
By: Burak Ege Bekdil ? 16 hours ago
ANKARA, Turkey � Turkey on Jan. 23 launched its first locally built frigate, the I-class TCG Istanbul, advancing a program that involves the production of four corvettes and four frigates.
Under the MILGEM program, Turkey manufactured and delivered four Ada-class corvettes to the Navy. The Istanbul is the first of the four I-class frigates.
The Istanbul was built under a 2019 contract awarded by the government procurement agency SSB to STM, a government-controlled defense company. The warship will be used in advanced air defense, naval warfare and patrolling missions, and it will support underwater warfare missions. It will be delivered to the Navy in 2023.
�The MILGEM program dates back to early 2000s. But it is delivering critical platforms just when needed, i.e., when Turkey needs hard power to support its assertive foreign policy in the eastern Mediterranean,� defense analyst Ozgur Eksi said.
Turkey and its traditional Aegean rival Greece came close to military conflict several times during 2020 due to their disputes over continental shelf, airspace, territorial waters, demilitarization of Greek islands and islets, air traffic centers, and exclusive economic zones in addition to the broader territorial disputes around Cyprus.
The I-class frigates will feature weapons systems including a locally made 16-cell MDAS vertical launching system (a total of 64 surface-to-air missiles yet to be specified); four-by-four SSM launch canisters for the Atmaca weapon; an Aselsan-made 76mm Gokdeniz close-in weapon system; two Aselsan-made 25mm machine guns; and a HIZIR torpedo countermeasures system.

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Turkey plans to launch its first Istanbul-class frigate F515 in January 2021
Naval News January 2021 Navy Forces Maritime Defense Industry Posted On Sunday, 03 January 2021 15:34
According to news published on the HABER VAKTI website, January 2, 2021, the construction of the first Istanbul-class frigate F515 continues at the Istanbul Shipyard Command in collaboration with many Turkish companies under the leed of Turkish company STM. The Istanbul-class frigate F515 will be launched on January 17, 2021.
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