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Istanbul-class frigate

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TCG Istanbul (F-515) traverses the Bosporus in celebration of the 100th year of the Turkish Republic
Class overview
NameIstanbul class
Builders
Operators
Preceded byBarbaros class
Cost$500 million per unit
Built2017–present
In commission2024–present
Planned
  • Total 10:
    • Turkey: 8
    • Indonesia: 2
Building5
Completed3
Active1
General characteristics
TypeMultirole frigate
Displacement3,100 tonnes[3]
Length113.2 m (371 ft 5 in)[3]
Beam14.40 m (47 ft 3 in)[3]
Draft4.05 m (13 ft 3 in)[3]
Installed power4 x 560kw Generator[4][3]
Propulsion
Speed
  • Economy: 14 kn (26 km/h; 16 mph)[3]
  • Maximum: >29 kn (54 km/h; 33 mph)[3]
Range5,700 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]
Complement123[3][4]
Sensors &
processing systems
  • Radars: Aselsan Cenk-400N 2D GaN based solid-state transmit/receive modules AESA search radar with 1000 targets tracking capacity and ~400 km maximum range[5][6]
    Aselsan ALPER-200N LPI Surface Radar
    Aslesan AKREP-300N (AKR-D Block B-1/2) Fire Control Radar[7][6]
  • Other systems: Aselsan SeaEye-AHTAPOT Electro-optical reconnaissance, surveillance and targeting system[7]
    Aselsan PIRI-100 IRST
    Aselsan TAKS-100/76GFCS main gun fire control system
    ATMACA 100/AFCS anti-ship missile fire control system, HİSAR 100N/FCS air defence missile fire control system
    Aselsan KULAÇ Sounder system
    DEMES meteorological measurement system
    AHTAPOT-100 Electro-optical director, ANS 510-M gyro system,[8] LIAS 200-N Advanced Laser Warning Receiver System,[4] Infrared Trace Management System,[4]
  • Sonar: Aselsan FERSAH 100N/MF hull mounted sonar[7]
  • Communications: SATCOM, Link 11/16, Link 22 Local Area Network, Internal Communication System, Underwater phone[4][9]
  • Combat Systems: Havelsan ADVENT Combat Management system,[4] GEMS Integrated combat system, IdentIFF M5 TPX & I/LR IFF system, AcroSAT Ku-120-M Satellite combat system, AcroSAT Ku-150-M Satellite combat system[8]
Electronic warfare
& decoys
Armament
Aircraft carried

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]

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

[edit]
Model of TCG Istanbul (F-515)

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

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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

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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 Hisar-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

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The aft section of the ship includes a flight deck and a hangar.[28]

Dimensions and propulsion

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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

[edit]
TCG Istanbul (F-515) at the Bosporus strait, during the naval parade for celebrating the centennial of the Turkish Republic, 29 October 2023.

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

[edit]

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

[edit]
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 27 July 2026 Planned Launched[48]
F-521 TCG Ege Ege Sefine Shipyard Planned [49]
F-522 TCG Marmara Marmara Anadolu Shipyard Planned

See also

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Equivalent frigates of the same era

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References

[edit]
  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Deals Sealed for 6th, 7th and 8th MİLGEM Vessels". STM. 7 April 2023. Archived from the original on 15 November 2025. Retrieved 15 April 2026.
  2. 1 2 Hizlan, Gözde (23 October 2024). "Türkiye as a Major Actor in Indonesia's Naval Modernisation". TurDef. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 "I Class Frigate". STM. Archived from the original on 17 August 2025. Retrieved 29 December 2024.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 "İ (İSTİF) Sınıfı Fırkateyn Özellikleri | SavunmaSanayiST". 23 January 2023.
  5. ↑ "TCG Istanbul Hits Target UAV with HISAR-D RF Missile". TurDef. 15 August 2025. Archived from the original on 15 August 2025. Retrieved 13 April 2026.
  6. 1 2 3 "Turkish Navy successfully tests HISAR-D RF air defense missile from TCG Istanbul". Türkiye Today. 24 July 2024. Retrieved 23 May 2024.
  7. 1 2 3 "Turkey launches the lead ship of I-class frigates "Istanbul"". 23 January 2021.
  8. 1 2 3 4 "MİLGEM'deki en üstün #ASELSAN teknolojileri görev başında". X (formerly Twitter).
  9. ↑ "İSTANBUL fırkateyni envantere girmeye hazırlanıyor". 27 October 2023.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Turkey Launches The Lead Ship Of I-Class Frigates "Istanbul"". Naval News. 23 January 2021. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
  11. ↑ "MKE delivers first indigenous 76mm Naval Gun to the Turkish Navy". Naval News. 17 October 2025. Archived from the original on 24 June 2025. Retrieved 25 July 2025.
  12. 1 2 "TCG ISTANBUL Starts SAT". TurDef. 20 July 2024. Archived from the original on 20 July 2024. Retrieved 17 April 2026.
  13. 1 2 3 "Gökdeniz CIWS Passed the Tests, Waiting for Integration into MILGEM's Frigate". TurDef. 28 November 2023. Archived from the original on 28 November 2023. Retrieved 17 April 2026.
  14. 1 2 "Follow-on Istanbul-class frigates to feature more VLSs". Janes. 19 March 2025. Archived from the original on 19 March 2025. Retrieved 17 April 2026.
  15. ↑ "SSB'den SAPAN Hava Savunma Füzesi müjdesi | SavunmaSanayiST". 16 December 2023.
  16. ↑ Erten, Kozan (October 2024). "MILGEM Evolution: The Istanbul-class Turkish National Frigate". Proceedings. Vol. 150, no. 10. United States Naval Institute. Archived from the original on 21 April 2025. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
  17. ↑ "Turkish MoD Orders Final 3 I-Class Frigates From Private Shipyards". Naval News. 24 January 2023. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
  18. ↑ Kate Tringham (5 January 2024). "Turkey approves plans for aircraft carrier, additional Istanbul-class frigates". www.janes.com. Janes.
  19. 1 2 "Turkey's First Domestically-Produced Frigate Has Entered Service". The War Zone. 23 January 2024. Archived from the original on 9 March 2026. Retrieved 15 April 2026.
  20. ↑ "İlk milli fırkateynin yapımına başlandı" (in Turkish). TRT Haber. 19 January 2017. Retrieved 1 February 2017.
  21. ↑ "KINALIADA Korveti Denize İndirme ve İSTANBUL Fırkateyni İnşa Başlangıç Töreni" (Press release) (in Turkish). Turkish Naval Forces. 3 July 2017. Archived from the original on 16 May 2018. Retrieved 3 July 2017.
  22. ↑ "Turkish Navy set to build its own frigate". Hürriyet Daily News. 21 December 2012. Retrieved 1 February 2017.
  23. 1 2 Khan, Bilal (19 January 2017). "Turkey Begins Building First Istanbul Class Frigate". Quwa.org. Retrieved 1 February 2017.
  24. ↑ "Turkey begins construction of first national frigate 'Istanbul'". 19 January 2017. Retrieved 1 February 2017.
  25. ↑ "MİLGEM: İ (İstif) Sınıfı Fırkateyn". 10 May 2019.
  26. ↑ Sabah, Daily (19 January 2024). "Türkiye delivers new ships, sea drone in fresh bolster for navy". Daily Sabah. Retrieved 21 January 2024.
  27. 1 2 3 4 Sünnetci, İbrahim (24 April 2024). "Exclusive Tour: Inside İstanbul Naval Shipyard Command, Design Project Office (DPO), and TCG İstanbul Frigate". Defence Turkey Magazine. Retrieved 5 March 2026.
  28. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Launched head frigate of the class "Istanbul" for the Turkish Navy". VPK.name. 26 January 2021. Retrieved 5 March 2026.
  29. ↑ "ATMACA ANTI-SHIP MISSILE". Roketsan. Retrieved 13 April 2026.
  30. ↑ "MiDLAS - National Vertical Launcher System" (PDF). Roketsan. Retrieved 17 April 2026.
  31. 1 2 Ozberk, Tayfun (3 October 2025). "Turkiye Successfully Test-Fires SIPER-1D Long-Range SAM From Indigenous VLS". Naval News. Archived from the original on 21 December 2025. Retrieved 15 April 2026.
  32. ↑ "ORKA Next-Generation Lightweight Torpedo". Roketsan. Roketsan. Retrieved 14 April 2026.
  33. 1 2 "First Deployment of Denizhan Naval Gun on a Frigate". TurDef. 14 February 2025. Archived from the original on 14 February 2025. Retrieved 17 April 2026.
  34. 1 2 "SMASH 200/25". Aselsan. Retrieved 18 April 2026.
  35. 1 2 3 "Aselsan reveals Gökdeniz naval close-in weapon system". Janes (YouTube). 22 May 2019. Retrieved 18 April 2026.
  36. 1 2 "IDEF 2019: Aselsan reveals Gokdeniz naval close-in weapon system". Janes.com. 2019. Archived from the original on 18 March 2025. Retrieved 18 April 2026.
  37. ↑ Defence Security Asia. "Turkiye Pushes Boundaries with Naval Variant of KAAN Fighter for Aircraft Carrier Operations". Defence Security Asia. Archived from the original on 20 February 2025. Retrieved 20 April 2026.
  38. ↑ "️ İsmi belirtilmeyen bir Orta Doğu ülkesine İ (İSTİF) sınıfı fırkateyn ihraç edildi. Aynı zamanda yine ismi belirsiz bir Orta Doğu ülkesine dört adet MİLGEM sınıfı korvet ihracatı gerçekleştirildi. — ASELSAN 2023 Faaliyet Raporu". gdh.digital (in Turkish). Retrieved 8 July 2024.
  39. ↑ Vavasseur, Xavier (26 July 2025). "Indonesia inks deal with Turkiye for two I-class Frigates". Naval News. Retrieved 27 July 2025.
  40. ↑ "TAIS Signs $1 Billion Frigate Agreement with Qatar's Barzan Holdings for Indonesia". Naval News. 26 January 2026. Retrieved 27 January 2026.
  41. ↑ Yusuf Emir Işık (28 January 2026). "Negotiations ongoing for Turkish frigate export to Indonesia". DefenceTurk.net. Retrieved 29 January 2026.
  42. ↑ "Türk Donanması'na dört yeni gemi teslim edildi". www.aa.com.tr. Retrieved 19 January 2024.
  43. ↑ "️TCG İzmir (F-516) Fırkateyni Denize indirildi. TCG İzmir MİLGEM Projesi'nin altıncı, İstif Sınıfı Fırkateynlerin ise ikinci gemisi". gdh.digital. Retrieved 10 January 2025.
  44. ↑ Berber, Başak (11 January 2025). "TCG İZMİT fırkateyni denize indirildi | SavunmaSanayiST" (in Turkish). Retrieved 11 January 2025.
  45. ↑ Yanık, Tolga (1 September 2025). "TCG İçel fırkateyninin denize indirme töreni gerçekleştirildi | SavunmaSanayiST" (in Turkish). Retrieved 1 September 2025.
  46. ↑ "Türkiye launches 5th indigenous Istif-class frigate TCG Akdeniz". turkiyetoday.com. 6 February 2026. Retrieved 12 February 2026.
  47. ↑ "Türk Loydu ve Anadolu Tersanesi'nden LTC anlaşması". Deniz Haber (in Turkish). 13 June 2024. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
  48. ↑ Kaya, Gülsüm (2 July 2024). "Yeni İstif sınıfı fırkateynin inşasına başlandı!". DefenceTurk (in Turkish). Retrieved 2 July 2024.
  49. ↑ "MİLGEM 9,10,11 ve 12'nci gemiler için kritik karar" (in Turkish). 3 January 2024. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
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