ANKARA, Turkey — A local consortium of two big-scale Turkish defense companies will upgrade the navy’s Barbaros-class frigates, the companies announced.
Military electronics specialist Aselsan, Turkey’s biggest defense company, and military software concern Havelsan will perform half life-cycle full modernization work on the frigates. Both companies are state controlled.
Aselsan said in a statement it sent to the Istanbul Stock Exchange that its share of the work was worth €175 million plus TL 457 million (approximately $115 million). Havelsan did not disclose its share of the work.
Aselsan said the modernization work would be completed by 2025.
The Turkish Navy operates four Barbaros-class multipurpose frigates. Two warships were built by the Blohm + Voss shipyard in Hamburg, Germany, and the remaining two were constructed by the Golcuk Naval Shipyard in Turkey with German technological know-how.
The keel for the first ship in class, TCG Barbaros (F-244), was laid in April 1992. The vessel was launched in September 1993 and entered service in March 1995.
TCG Orucreis (F-245) was laid in July 1992, launched in July 1994 and entered service in May 1996. TCG Salihreis (F-246) was laid in March 1995, launched in September 1997 and entered service in December 1998.
Turkey laid the last ship in the Barbaros class, TCG Kemalreis (F-247), in December 1996 and launched in July 1998. It entered service in June 2000.
Barbaros-class frigates feature anti surface warfare (ASuW), anti-submarine warfare (ASW) and anti-aircraft warfare (AAW) capabilities.
Burak Ege Bekdil was the Turkey correspondent for Defense News.
