Even if TN gets these we are looking at 4-5 years of modernization and life extension program with Turkish sensors and weapons, as best of worst case scenario.
UK offered HMS Monmouth (already decommissioned) and HMS Montrose (Still active) to the Greeks as a gift if they bought 4 Type31 frigates . But they opted for the French ships.
ukdefencejournal.org.uk
My sources within the Ministry of National Defense said that only the capabilities of the ship were examined and there was no final purchase decision.
The Ministry of National Defense is purchasing Type-23 frigates from the British Royal Navy.
After the visit of Minister of National Defense Hulusi Akar, who met with his British counterpart Ben Wallace the previous day, it was learned that he made a purchase agreement for the Type-23 frigates, which are used in active duty in the Royal Navy and currently have 12 in their navy. Type-23 frigates stand out with their design for anti-submarine defenses.
Features of Type-23 frigates
Length: 133 meters
Width: 16.1 meters
Draft: 7.3 meters
Drive: CODLAG power generation system
4 pieces of 2025 hp Paxman Valenta 12 CM diesel engines
2 GE production 3996 hp electric motors
2 Rolls Royce production SM1C gas turbine engines with 26,150 hp
Speed: Maximum 28 knots
Range: 14,000 km
Boat: 2 RIBs
Weapon Systems
1 BAE Systems production 114 mm bow cannon
32 GWS.26 VLS launchers
10 km range Sea Wolf and 25 km range Sea Captor air defense missiles
8 Harpoon anti-ship missiles
4 Sting Ray light torpedoes
2 DS-30 30 mm guns
1 Wildcat or Merlin marine helicopter
MSB İngiltere’den fırkateyn alıyor - MarineDeal News
Millî Savunma Bakanlığı, Kraliyet Donanması’ndan Type-23 fırkateynlerinden satın alıyor.www.marinedealnews.com
I really doubt these ships to be used at combat duties, despite of some news sources reporting, these ships are no way close to be a "good candidate for LHD protection", the only scenario that could be accepted by Navy is to use these ships as ocean-going long endurance OPVs to be deployed in Libya - Qatar - Somalia etc.UK offered HMS Monmouth (already decommissioned) and HMS Montrose (Still active) to the Greeks as a gift if they bought 4 Type31 frigates . But they opted for the French ships.
So in reality the British have given up on these ships. They are being used as sweeteners to entice customers to buy more lucrative equipment ; Typhoons? RR engines?
Two British frigates to be gifted to Greece
HMS Monmouth and HMS Montrose, two Type 23 Frigates, will be given to Greece as part of efforts to 'sweeten the deal' to sell the Type 31.Type 23 Duke class Guided Missile Frigate - Royal Navy
duke class type 23 guided missile frigate royal navy hms sea ceptor wolf sam camm harpoon ssm helicopterwww.seaforces.org
It is very costly to produce such a ship. We don't have that much time either. Even if we balance the money somehow, it will take 6-7 years for the first ship to enter the inventory.
And should we just get Type 23 just because it is available?
I wish I could answer that but I am not a naval admiral to know in detail the state and needs of our navy.
Yes its costly but the Turkish navy would eventually need a warship between the I-Class, and the TF-2000. The TF-2000 in fact would be very costly but bring a new capability the Turkish navy. Why would it take 6-7 years?
It is not that costly, We can simply use sensor and weapon suite of I-Class to derive a larger ship with %20-30 increase at the price and add one more X-band radar in rotating configuration to provide better coverage etc.
Urgent needs? Navy is so far the best organization to plan their needs from years ago. They knew they were going to need a platform to escort Anadolu since 2010s. It is about higher ups.
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I agree that these ships are not built for protection of larger platforms. That is the duty of the Type26 (City Class) frigates, which are in fact the natural and logical choice to fit between I-Class and TF-2000.
The hull would not be twice the size in lenght either compared to the I-Class so the development of a new 5000-6000 ton frigate would not be challenging for the turkish naval industry. I realised that the french, and the Italians have gone for alot of FREMM frigates making it their backbone in their navy. Their corvettes are mostly used as OPV.It is not that costly, We can simply use sensor and weapon suite of I-Class to derive a larger ship with %20-30 increase at the price and add one more X-band radar in rotating configuration to provide better coverage etc.
Most of the cost is made up by propulsion, gensets, sensors and weapons. Rest is common ship equipment (but certified for military use). Even by opting for 2 + 2 DE instead of 1GT + 2 DE and RENK CODAG gearbox we would save money.
The point is, Navy has evaluated possibility of such a design few years ago for the emerging needs, however higher ups (in the ministry - government) have ignored it.
If we sorted out Arrowhead deal, that would take 4 years to commission the first ship with customization.
Urgent needs? Navy is so far the best organization to plan their needs from years ago. They knew they were going to need a platform to escort Anadolu since 2010s. It is about higher ups.
The point is even the news sources are reading this forum to extract information and to write articles, how funny right? We write something here then in 30 mins they come up with an article which is again, re-posted in here as a "reliable source"
I-Class is completed, all need to be done is launching the construction programme, all technical drawings, scantlings, technical packages, logistic documents are ready. It doesn't consume man-hours in terms of design studies.
