The rise of the Turkish naval industry

Balamir

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When Pakistan built a 17,000-ton fleet tanker in collaboration with the Turkish defense company STM and when it agreed in 2018 to purchase four corvette warships from Turkey, the deals were a way for the country to bolster its navy. In addition, they were a way for Pakistan to demonstrate its interest in strengthening its maritime capabilities.

But the moves also displayed the evolution of Turkey’s military shipbuilding industry and technological capacity.

More recently, when countries around the world have sought to enhance their maritime forces, they have often found a partner in Turkey. The country has exported more than 130 military ships to nations that include Malaysia, Georgia, Egypt, Indonesia, Qatar and Turkmenistan.

“Today, our industry produces high-tech and highly capable products,” said Naki Polat, president of Turkey’s Defense and Aerospace Industry Exporters' Association, known as SSI. “When we examine the ships produced by the Turkish Naval Forces in recent years, the activities are carried out for almost all kinds of surface and underwater elements. This design diversity shows Turkey’s determination to design, develop and produce all kinds of modern and highly capable warships.”

A history of (modern) shipbuilding

Turkey’s Navy and Coast Guard forces operate more than 300 ships, with more than 230 built by military and civilian commercial shipyards from throughout the country. This figure includes submarines, frigates, corvettes and amphibious assault vessels and represents the evolution of decades of Turkish shipbuilding that began in 1937.

The country’s shipbuilding efforts were interrupted by World War II, resumed during the Cold War with the country’s role in NATO and then matured during the 1980s with the design and construction of modern warships, including a 1,000-ton submarine and the frigate TCG Fatih at the Gölcük Naval Shipyard. Turkey also produced support and landing ships at shipyards such as Anadolu, Desan and İstanbul.

More recently, in the 21st century, the modernization of Turkey’s Navy has become a focus of the country’s defense industry. A key element of this effort has been the MILGEM or National Ship program, under which the nation has produced frigates and corvettes equipped with advanced electronics and weapons systems. As part of the program, shipbuilders such as Yonca-Onuk, Ares, Dearsan and RMK Marine also produce patrol boats, which are a main element of Turkey’s export capability. The country enhanced this effort in 2017 when five large, privately-owned shipyards — Sedef, Anadolu, Sefine, Selah and Istanbul — merged to form the Turkish Associated International Shipyards (TAIS) consortium.

“The inventory of our Naval Forces Command is one of the most important elements of our national defense,” said Ismail Demir, president of the Turkish Presidency of Defense Industries. “The MİLGEM project has been developed to perform reconnaissance and surveillance, target detection, identification and recognition, early warning missions and base and port defense, anti-submarine warfare, surface warfare, amphibious operations and patrol duties for Turkish Naval Forces.”

Industry officials say the crown jewel of the country’s effort to build a world-class navy could be the construction of the TCG Anadolu, the Turkish Navy’s first light aircraft carrier. Leaders plan to complete the vessel, which will be the largest ship in the Turkish Naval Forces, in 2021.

State-of-the-art NATO compatibility

As it has improved its shipbuilding capabilities over the decades, Turkey has also enhanced its technological sophistication. This includes the development of weapons and electronic warfare capabilities that are compatible with NATO standards and will enable Turkey to conduct network-centric warfare. The infrastructure to support these efforts has come from companies such as ASELSAN, Ayesaş, Meteksan, Havelsan, KOÇ Savunma, Tubitak MAM , Armelsan and STM.

At the same time, Turkey has become a supplier of advanced military systems around the world. The Turkish defense industry has developed systems for combat management, naval mission management, platform level EMI-EMC analysis/tests, platform track management, torpedo and torpedo countermeasures, underwater acoustics and sonar, integrated combat, weapons and missiles, fire control, radar, navigation and platform management in an integrated manner.

“The diversity and superior features of our products are important pillars for increasing our exports on naval platforms,” Polat said. “In this way, we can produce systems for changing needs and extend the service life of platforms in an up-to-date and functional manner.”


 

TR_123456

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When Pakistan built a 17,000-ton fleet tanker in collaboration with the Turkish defense company STM and when it agreed in 2018 to purchase four corvette warships from Turkey, the deals were a way for the country to bolster its navy. In addition, they were a way for Pakistan to demonstrate its interest in strengthening its maritime capabilities.

But the moves also displayed the evolution of Turkey’s military shipbuilding industry and technological capacity.

More recently, when countries around the world have sought to enhance their maritime forces, they have often found a partner in Turkey. The country has exported more than 130 military ships to nations that include Malaysia, Georgia, Egypt, Indonesia, Qatar and Turkmenistan.

“Today, our industry produces high-tech and highly capable products,” said Naki Polat, president of Turkey’s Defense and Aerospace Industry Exporters' Association, known as SSI. “When we examine the ships produced by the Turkish Naval Forces in recent years, the activities are carried out for almost all kinds of surface and underwater elements. This design diversity shows Turkey’s determination to design, develop and produce all kinds of modern and highly capable warships.”

A history of (modern) shipbuilding

Turkey’s Navy and Coast Guard forces operate more than 300 ships, with more than 230 built by military and civilian commercial shipyards from throughout the country. This figure includes submarines, frigates, corvettes and amphibious assault vessels and represents the evolution of decades of Turkish shipbuilding that began in 1937.

The country’s shipbuilding efforts were interrupted by World War II, resumed during the Cold War with the country’s role in NATO and then matured during the 1980s with the design and construction of modern warships, including a 1,000-ton submarine and the frigate TCG Fatih at the Gölcük Naval Shipyard. Turkey also produced support and landing ships at shipyards such as Anadolu, Desan and İstanbul.

More recently, in the 21st century, the modernization of Turkey’s Navy has become a focus of the country’s defense industry. A key element of this effort has been the MILGEM or National Ship program, under which the nation has produced frigates and corvettes equipped with advanced electronics and weapons systems. As part of the program, shipbuilders such as Yonca-Onuk, Ares, Dearsan and RMK Marine also produce patrol boats, which are a main element of Turkey’s export capability. The country enhanced this effort in 2017 when five large, privately-owned shipyards — Sedef, Anadolu, Sefine, Selah and Istanbul — merged to form the Turkish Associated International Shipyards (TAIS) consortium.

“The inventory of our Naval Forces Command is one of the most important elements of our national defense,” said Ismail Demir, president of the Turkish Presidency of Defense Industries. “The MİLGEM project has been developed to perform reconnaissance and surveillance, target detection, identification and recognition, early warning missions and base and port defense, anti-submarine warfare, surface warfare, amphibious operations and patrol duties for Turkish Naval Forces.”

Industry officials say the crown jewel of the country’s effort to build a world-class navy could be the construction of the TCG Anadolu, the Turkish Navy’s first light aircraft carrier. Leaders plan to complete the vessel, which will be the largest ship in the Turkish Naval Forces, in 2021.

State-of-the-art NATO compatibility

As it has improved its shipbuilding capabilities over the decades, Turkey has also enhanced its technological sophistication. This includes the development of weapons and electronic warfare capabilities that are compatible with NATO standards and will enable Turkey to conduct network-centric warfare. The infrastructure to support these efforts has come from companies such as ASELSAN, Ayesaş, Meteksan, Havelsan, KOÇ Savunma, Tubitak MAM , Armelsan and STM.

At the same time, Turkey has become a supplier of advanced military systems around the world. The Turkish defense industry has developed systems for combat management, naval mission management, platform level EMI-EMC analysis/tests, platform track management, torpedo and torpedo countermeasures, underwater acoustics and sonar, integrated combat, weapons and missiles, fire control, radar, navigation and platform management in an integrated manner.

“The diversity and superior features of our products are important pillars for increasing our exports on naval platforms,” Polat said. “In this way, we can produce systems for changing needs and extend the service life of platforms in an up-to-date and functional manner.”


We have but we are slow.
More private ship builders should be involved.
 

Anmdt

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Turkish naval platforms (combatant ans opvs )have lost in several tenders solely because shipyards or design offices have asked which shipyard is going to assist their local production. design offices couldn't refer to a shipyard except of naval shipyards, while private shipyards were simply eliminated because they haven't got past experience in building.
Only in Pakistan's offee Asfat has got the lead and smoothly got the deal.
There is a gap in supply of naval platforms and it is being saturated, we should have caught it 10 years ago,but there is still some place to fit in for exports.
 
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Blackeyes90

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We shoudn't forget that these kind of military sales are also Political driven. If we take a look at Greece or Eygpt we could see that. That also is a major factor of why Turkish firms are losing tenders. Another reason is Loan application. Most nation can't afford to pay in short time and they require loan for a certain period of time. We must adjust our banking sectors to stay competitive. If we are gonna be a good weapon supplier to other nations we must work on these issues.
 

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nevertheless if I read such a quote from above article (...) design diversity shows Turkey’s determination to design, develop and produce all kinds of modern and highly capable warships (...) thats what matters in long terms!
 

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nevertheless if I read such a quote from above article (...) design diversity shows Turkey’s determination to design, develop and produce all kinds of modern and highly capable warships (...) thats what matters in long terms!
It does but not with the rate we are going.
Look at the i class,the build started in 2017 and will probably be commisioned in 2023(6 years) which is ridiculous for a ship building nation like ours.
They havent even started with the next one yet because they cant.
 
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I recently shared a video under TR Naval Programs about how the economy is getting in the way atm.
 

Anmdt

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I recently shared a video under TR Naval Programs about how the economy is getting in the way atm.
The funds are just there these projects hasn't emerged in months, their budget was planned from years ago, the problem is not entirely financial yet money is part of it.
They are waiting for something for signing contract of 3 İ-Class, MİDAS and missiles to be integrated with it is the one, private shipyards to be ready is the last*
(not quite sure "ready" exactly for what, some might tell they are particularly indicating some shipyards to be available to deal, some might tell it is for those shipyards to complete upgrades and gain experience through some other projects - like TCG Ufuk ).
İ class' building has stalled for years, and exactly for the reason that started the production without finalization of the detail design -the politics, yet it has even stayed inactive after completion of the detail design for some unknown reason- probably related to Mk41. Even STM was contracted as the major subcontractor to sign deals of propulsion system and other subsystems, years later than first steel cut.
 
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A lot of military projects in Turkey in the last 25 years have been postponed and shifted to be eventually produced and developed indigenous.
The requirement for 1000 mbt's was from the late '90 as well as the attack helicopter program. These eventually became the Altay project and the T-129 project. Seeing as Turkey wants as much indigenisation as possible for various reasons ((internal)politics, geopolitical, financial, economic) and not all technologies are readily available, Turkey needs to wait for the indigenous products to be developed to incorporate in the domestic designs. The TF-2000 and the I-class were going to use western systems and weaponry, but now they are going to use Turkish systems and weaponry, which takes time to develop and thus delays these programs.

The advantage is clear, but the disadvantage is slow development and build process, which we now see is hampering Turkey a bit.
 

Luwian

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It does but not with the rate we are going.
Look at the i class,the build started in 2017 and will probably be commisioned in 2023(6 years) which is ridiculous for a ship building nation like ours.
They havent even started with the next one yet because they cant.

...thats why I said in "long terms"

you might be right, however considering the amount of projects in recent years in paralel to all infrastructure project in place and those are on going, axpecting to be ahead of on all... on top the regional tensions in Turkiye is involved - Financial challenges that come with it... we need maybe beside to Türkiye another one Türkiye even more to sucseed with all these aims... I would also wish to see that and this project running a bit accelered but it is as it is.... and as long as there some progress still better than never.
 

Saithan

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...thats why I said in "long terms"

you might be right, however considering the amount of projects in recent years in paralel to all infrastructure project in place and those are on going, axpecting to be ahead of on all... on top the regional tensions in Turkiye is involved - Financial challenges that come with it... we need maybe beside to Türkiye another one Türkiye even more to sucseed with all these aims... I would also wish to see that and this project running a bit accelered but it is as it is.... and as long as there some progress still better than never.

Well, we can't compromise on our national defense, which leaves strictly budget planning and managing of the country's public sector and spending, but if you add to that how we don't have transparency and accountability on the budget and spendings we're faced with a downward slope in the economy.
 

Luwian

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Well, we can't compromise on our national defense, which leaves strictly budget planning and managing of the country's public sector and spending, but if you add to that how we don't have transparency and accountability on the budget and spendings we're faced with a downward slope in the economy.

I'got your point, but what is the alternative tbh I do not see in short or mid terms any improvement on status que, even not by change of government... as owner (re-creator) of the national defence sucsess they define the highs and lows themself by directing in own advantage and that should be ok as long as it's in line with national interest of Türkiye... also it is fair if we say that we do not have any long back dated experince in the past where we could compare it and to be able to derive from it.
 

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