TCG Yıldırım sailing northbound through Istanbul on 2 March 2024 for her Black Sea deployment. TCG Yıldırım conducted a port visit in Batumi Georgia last week. According to the Georgian Coast Guard, the purpose of the visit is to conduct a second level self-assessment (SEL-2) of the vessels Ochamchire and Dioskuria of the Coast Guard Department of the Border Police of Georgia within the framework of the NATO Operational Capability Concept Assessment and Feedback Program. The mentioned process is carried out with the support of representatives (evaluators) from the command of the Georgian ..read more

“Stop wayfarer! Unbeknownst to you this ground, You come and tread on, is where an epoch lies.” …The small Turkish steamer Nusret succeeded in laying unnoticed a line of 26 mines lying in front of the known minefields of the Straits. This mine line was not laid across the barrier canal, as in minefields, but in length. This line, was constituted, in fact with the last reserve of dormant mines which the Turks had. Their total value probably does not exceed six or seven thousand pounds. In all of Europe in 1915, millions of tin and riveted men to a death fight, large offensives were killed or w ..read more

TCG Istanbul sailing northbound through Istanbul to test the MIDLAS VLS system or board. The deployment of the newest frigate of the Turkish Navy, TCG Istanbul, in the Black Sea between March 2nd and March 12th, 2024, marked a significant milestone. During this deployment, TCG Istanbul conducted the inaugural shipborne launch of the Hisar-D RF air defence missile from the MIDLAS vertical launcher system. This system was developed by Roketsan in response to the unavailability of the USA-made Mk-41 VLS system to the Turkish Navy, embodying the proverbial sentiment that “necessity is the mother o ..read more

The German Frankentahl class mine hunter M-1064 FGS Grömitz is conducting a port visit in Istanbul. She is the first foreign warship to visit Istanbul this year. FGS Grömitz left her homeport Kiel, in early January and as the flagship of the NATO Standing Maritime Group Two Task Unit 01, she is taking part in the NATO operation in the Aegean Sea as part of the international efforts to stop illegal trafficking and migration. Using a 54,3-meter long ship as a flagship for a multinational operation is not common. This class of ships is designed to localize, identify, and neutralize all types of ..read more

On March 5, 2024, a contract signing ceremony took place at the Doha International Maritime Defense Exhibition between the Qatari Emiri Naval Forces (QENF) and Dearsan Shipyard for the design and construction of 2 units of 50-meter fast attack craft. The Commander of the Qatari Naval Forces, Rear Admiral Abdullah bin Hassan Al Sulaiti, President of the Defense Industry, Professor Dr. Haluk Görgün, and Dearsan Shipyard Chairman, Mr. Aziz Yıldırım, took part in the ceremony. The 50-meter attack craft is based on the FAC 46 design of the shipyard. The vessels will be 50.7 meters long and 9.20 met ..read more

In this photograph captured in February 2022, TCG Sokullu Mehmet Paşa is seen departing her homeport in Tuzla for sea trials of the Aselsan Gökdeniz air defence system. The gun can be seen at the rear of the vessel under cover. The Turkish Navy announced that the Rhein class multi-purpose ship TCG Sokullu Mehmet Paşa was decommissioned on 25 February 2024. The ship was a patrol boat tender for the German Navy. She was built in Schlichting Shipyard in Traveminde as FGS Donau and commissioned to the German Navy in 1964. She was recommissioned into the Turkish Navy in 1997 and replaced her sister ..read more

The Turkish armored vehicle producer, Otokar, is showcasing the Tulpar Medium Tank equipped with the Leonardo HITFACT Mk II 120mm turret at the World Defence Show 2024 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Designed as a versatile platform, the Tulpar can accommodate various configurations including a light tank, infantry fighting vehicle, armored personnel carrier, reconnaissance vehicle, command and control vehicle, air defense, ambulance, repair and recovery vehicle, mortar vehicle, and other variants. The Tulpar boasts a range of variants from 28,000 kg to 45,000 kg, meeting diverse global requirements ..read more

FNSS, a Turkish armored combat vehicle manufacturer, revealed the Pars Alpha 8×8 New Generation AFV at the World Defence Show 2024 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, scheduled between the 4th and 8th of February 2024. The Pars Alpha is approximately 7.8 meters long and 3 meters wide. Its weight is estimated to be around the 32,000-kilogram range. Its 711 HP diesel engine provides a top speed of over 115 km/h with a range of more than 800 kilometers. The hydro-pneumatic suspension with adjustable ride height enables persistent cross-country agility, enhanced by a turning radius optimized for confined ur ..read more

Tarantul class corvette Ivanovets, passing northbound through Istanbul in 2016, when she was returning from her Syrian deployment. Photo: Serhat Güvenç I have been trying to keep a list the of damage and losses to the ships both civilian and military, since the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The list below is the list of the ships that have been damaged, sunk or seized since 24 February 2022 as of today. I welcome any additions, changes or corrections. Date Ship Type Country Event and Location Losses 1.02.2024 Ivanovets Tarantul class corvette Russia Attacked by a swarm of Ukra ..read more

Screen capture from TV, showing the TCB 1101 Three warships – one frigate and two supply ships – and one uncrewed surface vessel were commissioned into the Turkish Navy on 19 January 2024. The commissioning ceremony was held at Sefine Shipyard in Yalova, where the largest vessels, TCG Derya, and the smallest one, Marlin USV were constructed. With the commissioning of the USV, the Turkish Navy entered officially into the age of uncrewed surface vessels. The USVs are an opportunity. They open new dimensions and new operational capabilities in front of the naval forces. As it is always the case i ..read more