Istanbul-class frigate
Frigate class of the Turkish Naval Forces
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Istanbul-class frigates (also known as TF-100, MILGEM II, İstif and I class) are a class of multirole frigates currently being constructed for the Turkish Naval Forces and the Indonesian Navy.[3] [16][17][18] The ship class developed under the MILGEM national warship program with enhanced endurance and MiDLAS vertical launching system (VLS) for multi-role capability.[10][2][19] Turkish company STM is the designer and prime contractor of the ship class.[1][3] The class is also offered for export. Ships of the class are made by four Turkish shipyards. The frigate class is fast and highly maneuverable due to using of CODAG technology.[3]
Turkish Naval Forces
Indonesian Navy (future)[2]
TCG Istanbul (F-515) traverses the Bosporus in celebration of the 100th year of the Turkish Republic | |
| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Name | Istanbul class |
| Builders | |
| Operators |
|
| Preceded by | Barbaros class |
| Cost | $500 million per unit |
| Built | 2017–present |
| In commission | 2024–present |
| Planned |
|
| Building | 5 |
| Completed | 3 |
| Active | 1 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Multirole frigate |
| Displacement | 3,100 tonnes[3] |
| Length | 113.2 m (371 ft 5 in)[3] |
| Beam | 14.40 m (47 ft 3 in)[3] |
| Draft | 4.05 m (13 ft 3 in)[3] |
| Installed power | 4 x 560kw Generator[4][3] |
| Propulsion |
|
| Speed | |
| Range | 5,700 nmi (10,600 km; 6,600 mi) at 14 kn (26 km/h; 16 mph)[3][4] |
| Boats & landing craft carried | 2 x Rigid-hulled inflatable boat (RHIB)[3] |
| Complement | 123[3][4] |
| Sensors & processing systems |
|
| Electronic warfare & decoys |
|
| Armament |
|
| Aircraft carried |
|
On 19 January 2017, the Turkish Navy held a ceremonial steel cut for the lead ship TCG Istanbul (F 515).[20] Istanbul was laid down on 3 July 2017 and launched on 23 January 2021.[21][10]
Design
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The Istanbuls [22] have the guns, self protection and anti-submarine warfare systems of the Ada-class.[23] but with twice the number of anti-ship missiles[23] and will be equipped with the indigenous MDAS vertical launching system.[10]
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 under the MILGEM program, it is claimed that more than 75% of its systems are of indigenous manufacture.[24] 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.[citation needed]
Construction took six years and the vessel was commissioned into service on 19 January 2024.[25][26]
Sensors and systems
Combat operations are managed by the network-centric ADVENT Combat Management System (CMS).[27] The frigate is equipped with an electronic warfare system and an infrared detection and tracking system developed by the Turkish company Aselsan.[28] Additional ship systems and software are supplied by Havelsan, along with components from various local subcontractors.[28]
Armament
The Istanbul-class frigates are multi-mission ships with numerous combat systems, including anti-aircraft missiles, anti-ship missiles and an anti-submarine warfare (ASW) system.[19] The ship is armed with 16 canister launched Atmaca anti-ship missiles with a range of 250 km.[28][29] A 16-cell MiDLAS vertical launching system (National Vertical Launching System) installed for different types of missiles.[14] The MiDLAS is capable of missile integration through standardized interfaces. The VLS is enabling the launch of surface-to-air, surface-to-surface, surface-to-ground and anti-submarine missiles without reliance on dedicated cell configurations.[30] The VLS can launch HİSAR-D RF and SIPER Block-1 surface-to-air missiles, Atmaca anti-ship missiles.[31][27] SİPER Block-1 is an active radar seeker-equipped long range surface-to-air missile (SAM) with a range of more than 100 km.[31] On the other hand, HİSAR-D RF is an active radar seeker-equipped surface-to-air missile (SAM) with a range of more than 40 km. The HİSAR-D RF is a quad pack capable missile. One MiDLAS cell can carry four HİSAR-D RF missiles in a quad pack configuration instead of one.[6] The frigate also carries two twin 324 mm torpedo tubes with Roketsan Orka torpedoes for anti-submarine warfare (ASW) with a range of 15 km and speed of more than 45 kn.[28][32]
The ship class uses a 76 mm bow-mounted main gun. The first ship Istanbul installed with Italian made 76 mm/62-caliber Super Rapid gun, when later ships are installed with a Turkish-made MKE 76 mm/62-caliber gun.[33][12] The MKE 76 mm/62-caliber gun has a range of 16 km with standard ammunition and 20 km with extended-range ammunition. It is a multirole gun that can be used for air defense, anti-surface warfare and shore bombardment.[33] For point defense and asymmetric warfare the ship is installed with a Aselsan GOKDENIZ 35 mm dual-barreled gun-based close-in weapon system (CIWS) and two Aselsan SMASH 200/25 remote controlled weapon station (RCWS).[13][27][34] The CIWS has a fire rate of 1100 rounds per minute with an effective range of 4 km against fast targets including sea skimming anti-ship missile.[13][35][36] The CIWS fires 35×228 mm Aselsan ATOM 35mm airburst round and high-explosive incendiary (HEI) ammunition.[35] The ATOM airburst ammunition is purposely designed to be used against fast-flying targets, including anti-ship missiles.[35][36] The Aselsan SMASH 200/25 RCWS can used against attacking self-destructive unmanned surface vehicle (Kamikaze sea drone).[37][34]
Aviation
The aft section of the ship includes a flight deck and a hangar.[28]
Dimensions and propulsion
At full load, the ship's maximum displacement ranges from 3,000 to 3,171 tonnes.[27]
This plant includes one General Electric LM2500 gas turbine and two MTU diesel engines, which drive two propellers.[28]
History and background
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The Istanbul 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. The first product of the project emerged as the Ada-class anti-submarine/patrol corvette. The Istanbul class, originally known as the TF-100 class under the MILGEM-G designation, belongs to the second development phase, where the structure of the Ada class corvette is extended to host multi-role capabilities.[citation needed]
Export
It was stated in Aselsan's 2023 Annual Report that the Istanbul-class frigate was exported to an unnamed Middle Eastern country.[38]
Indonesian shipyard PAL Indonesia signed a memorandum of understanding with TAIS Shipyards on procuring the Istanbul-class frigate in June 2025. Minister of Defense of Indonesia, Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin, signed the procurement contract for two frigates on 26 July 2025.[39] On 19 January 2026, during the DIMDEX 2026 expo in Doha, Qatar, TAIS Shipyards signed a US$1 billion agreement with Barzan Holdings of Qatar to supply TCG İzmir and İçel to the Indonesian Navy. Barzan Holdings will provide the loan to Indonesia for the acquisition of the frigates.[40] Turkish media Defence Turk claimed that the export agreement is yet to be confirmed as there are issues which are "under negotiation".[41]
Ships in the class
| 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 | [42] |
| F-516 | TCG İzmir | İzmir | Anadolu Shipyard | 10 January 2025 | Planned | Launched[43] | |
| F-517 | TCG İzmit | İzmit | Sedef Shipyard | 11 January 2025 | Planned | Launched[44] | |
| F-518 | TCG İçel | İçel | Sefine Shipyard | 1 September 2025 | Planned | Launched[45] | |
| F-519 | TCG Akdeniz | Mediterranean Sea | Anadolu Shipyard | 2 February 2026 | Planned | Launched[46][47] | |
| F-520 | TCG Karadeniz | Black Sea | Sedef Shipyard | Planned | Under Construction[48] | ||
| F-521 | TCG Ege | Ege | Sefine Shipyard | Planned | [49] | ||
| F-522 | TCG Marmara | Marmara | Anadolu Shipyard | Planned |
