TURKISH NAVY

The 'Turkish Navy' () is a branch of the Turkish Armed Forces.
The Turkish Navy has historically been one of the largest sea powers of the Mediterranean. Following the demise of the Ottoman Empire in the aftermath of World War I, and the establishment of the modern Republic of Turkey in 1923 with the victory of Turkish revolutionist forces under Mustafa Kemal Atatürk at the Turkish War of Independence, the Turkish Navy, which inherited the remaining warships of the former Ottoman fleet, went into structural reformation and modernization.
Today, supported by its replenishment ships, the Turkish Navy can participate in international operations and exercises on every major sea and ocean of the world. Submarines can individually navigate up to 15,000 nautical miles and return back to their home bases.

Contents

History

Ship and submarine classes of the Turkish fleet since 1923

Structure

Officers

Main equipment

Source

See also

References and notes

External links

History

★ ''Main article:'' 'History of the Turkish Navy'

Ship and submarine classes of the Turkish fleet since 1923

During the years of Atatürk's presidency, the major surface combatants of the former Ottoman fleet, including famous warships like the battlecruiser TCG ''Yavuz'', cruisers TCG ''Hamidiye'', TCG ''Mecidiye'', TCG ''Turgut Reis'', TCG ''Berk-i Satvet'' and TCG ''Peyk-i Şevket'', destroyers TCG ''Samsun'', TCG ''Bafra'' and TCG ''Taşoz'', and torpedo boats TCG ''Burak Reis'', TCG ''Kemal Reis'', TCG ''İsa Reis'' and TCG ''Sakız'' were repaired and modernized, while new ships and submarines were acquired. The first new submarines of the Turkish Republic were the Dutch-built TCG ''Birinci İnönü'' and TCG ''İkinci İnönü'' (classified as "supersubmarines" in that period) which were laid down in 1926 and commissioned in 1928. They were followed by the two Italian ''Monfalcone'' class submarines TCG ''Sakarya'' and TCG ''Dumlupınar'' which were laid down in 1930 and commissioned in 1931. Other vessels purchased from Italy included the destroyers TCG ''Adatepe'', TCG ''Kocatepe'', TCG ''Tınaztepe'' and TCG ''Zafer'', and torpedo boats TCG ''Martı'', TCG ''Denizkuşu'' and TCG ''Doğan'', which were likewise commissioned in 1931. The Spanish designed submarine TCG ''Gür'' was laid down in 1930 and commissioned in 1936. Atatürk also ordered the ''Ay'' class submarines, which were designed by the Krupp Germania Werft of Germany, and built in the shipyards of Istanbul and Gölcük in Turkey. TCG ''Yıldıray'' was laid down in 1936, but could be commissioned in 1946 due to the hardships of the Second World War. TCG ''Saldıray'' was laid down in 1937 and commissioned in 1939, while TCG ''Atılay'' was laid down in 1937 and commissioned in 1940.
Following the death of Atatürk in 1938 and during the Second World War years under the presidency of İsmet İnönü, Turkish Navy purchased the Oruç Reis class submarines which were designed and built by the Vickers Armstrong Shipbuilders in England. TCG ''Murat Reis'' and TCG ''Oruç Reis'' were laid down in 1939 and commissioned in 1942, while TCG ''Burak Reis-II'' was laid down in 1939 and commissioned in 1946. Turkey also purchased four destroyers and two minelayers from England in 1939. The four ''Demirhisar class'' destroyers were namely TCG ''Gayret'' which was commissioned in 1940; and TCG ''Demirhisar'', TCG ''Sultanhisar'' and TCG ''Muavenet'' which were commissioned in 1941.
Immediately after the end of the Second World War and with the declaration of the Truman Doctrine, which was followed a few years later by Turkey's membership to NATO in 1952, the Turkish fleet acquired new warships and submarines from the United States. Four Balao class submarines built by the General Dynamics Electric Boat Company joined the Turkish fleet and were commissioned in 1948. They were given the names of the previous Turkish submarines like TCG ''Birinci İnönü-II'', TCG ''İkinci İnönü-II'', TCG ''Sakarya-II'' and TCG ''Gür-II''. These were followed by the three GUPPY class submarines, namely TCG ''Piri Reis'' and TCG ''Hızır Reis'' which were commissioned in 1960, and TCG ''Turgut Reis-II'' which was commissioned in 1973; the GUPPY IA class submarine TCG ''Dumlupınar-II'' which was commissioned in 1972, the seven GUPPY IIA class submarines which were commissioned between 1971 and 1973 and named as TCG ''Burak Reis-III'' (1971), TCG ''Uluç Ali Reis'' (1971), TCG ''Murat Reis-II'' (1971), TCG ''Cerbe'' (1972), TCG ''Birinci İnönü-III'' (1972), TCG ''Oruç Reis-II'' (1972) and TCG ''Preveze'' (1973); the two GUPPY III class submarines which were commissioned in 1974 and named as TCG ''Çanakkale'' and TCG ''İkinci İnönü-III'', and the two Tang class submarines which were commissioned in 1980 and 1983, and named as TCG ''Piri Reis-II'' (1980) and TCG ''Hızır Reis-II'' (1983).
Between 1949 and 1950, four U.S.-built Gleaves class destroyers were acquired; namely TCG ''Gelibolu'' and TCG ''Giresun'' in 1949, and TCG ''Gaziantep'' and TCG ''Gemlik'' in 1950.
In 1959 four British-made M class destroyers joined the fleet, namely TCG ''Alp Arslan'', TCG ''Kılıç Ali Paşa'', TCG ''Mareşal Fevzi Çakmak'' and TCG ''Piyale Paşa''.
Between 1967 and 1969, a total of five U.S.-built Fletcher class destroyers were acquired by the Turkish Navy; namely the TCG ''İstanbul'' and TCG ''İzmir'' in 1967, and the TCG ''İçel'', TCG ''İskenderun'' and TCG ''İzmit'' in 1969.
Starting from 1971, Turkish Navy acquired a total of ten U.S.-built FRAM I Gearing class destroyers from the United States, namely TCG ''Adatepe-II'' (1971), TCG ''Kocatepe-II'' (1971), TCG ''Tınaztepe-II'' (1972), TCG ''Gayret-II'' (1973), TCG ''Mareşal Fevzi Çakmak-II'' (1973), TCG ''Kocatepe-III'' (1974), TCG ''Savaştepe'' (1979), TCG ''Piyale Paşa-II'' (1980), TCG ''Kılıç Ali Paşa-II'' (1980) and TCG ''Yücetepe'' (1982). In 1981 and 1982, two Carpenter class destroyers joined the fleet, namely TCG ''Anıttepe'' (1981) and TCG ''Alçıtepe'' (1982). Carpenter class was a modified version of the Gearing class destroyer.
Turkish-built frigates TCG ''Berk'' and TCG ''Peyk'' joined the fleet in 1971 and 1972, respectively. They were named after the late Ottoman cruisers ''Berk-i Satvet'' and ''Peyk-i Şevket'', which also served the fleet of the Turkish Republic in its early years.
Still in 1971 and 1972, two U.S.-built Allen M. Sumner class destroyers, TCG ''Muavenet-II'' and TCG ''Zafer-II'', were acquired by the Turkish Navy.
In the early 1970s, Turkish Navy began ordering the German designed Type 209 submarines, which were built in Germany and Turkey. Six ''Atılay'' class submarines (Type 209/1200) were laid down between 1974 and 1988, and commissioned between 1976 and 1990, as TCG ''Atılay-II'' (1976), TCG ''Saldıray-II'' (1977), TCG ''Batıray'' (1978), TCG ''Yıldıray-II'' (1981), TCG ''Doğanay'' (1984) and TCG ''Dolunay'' (1989). They were followed by the four ''Preveze'' class submarines (Type 209T1/1400) which were laid down between 1993 and 1998, and commissioned between 1994 and 1999, as TCG ''Preveze-II'' (1994), TCG ''Sakarya-II'' (1995), TCG ''18 Mart'' (1998) and TCG ''Anafartalar'' (1999). The latest four submarines, classified as the ''Gür'' class (Type 209T2/1400) were laid down between 2002 and 2006, and commissioned as TCG ''Gür-III'' (2003), TCG ''Çanakkale-II'' (2005), TCG ''Burak Reis-IV'' (2006) and TCG ''Birinci İnönü-IV'' which will be commissioned in 2007.
In 1983 two German-built Köln class frigates, namely TCG ''Gemlik-II'' and TCG ''Gelibolu-II'', joined the Turkish fleet.
During the modernization programme of the Turkish fleet in the mid 1980s, the first MEKO class frigates, designed by the German shipbuilding company Blohm + Voss and built in Germany and Turkey, were acquired. Four ''Yavuz'' class frigates (MEKO 200TN Track I) were built; namely TCG ''Yavuz-II'' which was launched in 1985 and commissioned in 1987, TCG ''Turgut Reis-III'' and TCG ''Fatih'' which were launched in 1987 and commissioned in 1988, and TCG ''Yıldırım'' which was launched in 1988 and commissioned in 1989. These were followed by the two ''Barbaros'' class frigates (MEKO 200TN Track IIA), of which TCG ''Barbaros'' was launched in 1993 and commissioned in 1997, and TCG ''Oruç Reis-III'' was launched in 1994 and commissioned in 1997. The final two ships are classified as the ''Salih Reis'' class frigates (MEKO 200TN Track IIB), of which TCG ''Salih Reis'' was launched in 1997 and commissioned in 1998, and TCG ''Kemal Reis-II'' was launched in 1998 and commissioned in 2000.
In the early 1990s Turkey acquired eight U.S.-built Knox class frigates. TCG ''Muavenet-III'', TCG ''Zafer-III'', TCG ''Kocatepe-IV'' and TCG ''Adatepe-III'' were commissioned in 1993, while TCG ''Akdeniz'', TCG ''Trakya'', TCG ''Karadeniz'' and TCG ''Ege'' were commissioned in 1994. Five ships of this class have been decommissioned between 2001 and 2005. Currently only TCG ''Muavenet'', TCG ''Zafer'' and TCG ''Karadeniz'' are still in active service.
In the late 1990s Turkey acquired eight Oliver Hazard Perry (G class) frigates from the United States. TCG ''Gaziantep-II'', TCG ''Giresun-II'' and TCG ''Gemlik-III'' were commissioned in 1998; TCG ''Gelibolu-III'' and TCG ''Gökçeada'' were commissioned in 1999; TCG ''Gediz'' was commissioned in 2000; TCG ''Gökova'' was commissioned in 2002; and TCG ''Göksu'' was commissioned in 2003.
Between 2001 and 2003 a total of six French-built D'Estienne d'Orves class (B class) corvettes were acquired from France. TCG ''Bozcaada'' was commissioned in 2001; TCG ''Bodrum'', TCG ''Bandırma'', TCG ''Beykoz'' and TCG ''Bartın'' were commissioned in 2002; and TCG ''Bafra'' was commissioned in 2003.
On July 26, 2005, construction works of the first Milgem class corvette, ''TCG Heybeliada'', began at the Istanbul Naval Shipyard. A total of twelve Milgem class corvettes will be built for the Turkish Navy.
Four additional Kılıç-II class fast attack missile boats and three additional A class mine hunters are currently under construction.
Plans to build a total of six ''TF-2000'' class AAW-C&C frigates^[1][2], the acquisition of a Landing Platform Dock (LPD)^[3] and a total of six Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) submarines^[4] were approved by the Turkish Ministry of Defense on 12 December 2006. The RfI issued for the LPD project states that the requirement is for one LPD carrying 4 Landing Craft Mechanics (LCM), 27 Amphibious Assault Vehicles (AAV), 2 Landing Craft Personnel Vehicles (LCPV), 1 Commander Boat and 1 Rubber Hull Inflated Boat (RHIB). Turkish Navy also plans to acquire 2 new Tank Landing Ships (LST)^[5], 8 new Tank Landing Crafts (LCT)^[6], 16 new Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPV) with ASW capability^[7], 2 new Rescue & Towing (R&T) ships^[8] and 1 new Submarine Rescue Mother Ship (MOSHIP)^[9].

Structure

★ Fleet Command

★
★ Surface Action Group Command, Gölcük, Kocaeli

★
★ Submarine Group Command

★
★ Fast Patrol Boat Group Command, İstanbul

★
★ Mine Warfare Group Command, Erdek

★
★ Logistic Support Group Command, Gölcük, Kocaeli

★
★ Naval Aviation Group Command, Cengiz Topel Air Base, Kocaeli

★ Northern Sea Area Command, İstanbul

★
★ Istanbul Strait Command

★
★ Çanakkale Strait Command

★
★ Naval Hydrography and Oceanography Division Command

★
★ Naval Museum Command, İstanbul

★ Southern Sea Area Command, İzmir

★
★ Navy Infantry Brigade Command

★
★
★ Amphibious Group Command

★
★ Accompaniment and Patrol Boats Flotilla

★
★ Aksaz Naval Base Command

★ Naval Training and Education Command, İstanbul

★
★ Naval Academy, Tuzla, İstanbul

★
★ Naval High School, Heybeliada, İstanbul

★
★ Karamürselbey Training Centre Command, Yalova

Officers

★ Chief of the Turkish General Staff: General Yaşar Büyükanıt

★ Commander of the Navy: Admiral Metin Ataç

★ Fleet Command: Admiral Uğur Yiğit

★ Northern Sea Area Command: Vice Admiral Feyyaz Öğütçü

★ Southern Sea Area Command: Vice Admiral Erdal Bucak

★ Naval Training and Education Command: Vice Admiral Kadir Sağdıç

Main equipment

{| class="wikitable" border=1 width=550 cellpadding=2 cellspacing=0
|colspan=2 align=center bgcolor=blue|'TURKISH NAVY'
|-
|colspan=2 align=center|'Submarines'
|-
|4||Gür Class Type 209T2/1400 Submarines
|-
|4||Preveze Class Type 209T1/1400 Submarines
|-
|6||Atılay Class Type 209/1200 Submarines
|-
|0||AIP Air-independent propulsion Submarines (+6 approved on 12/12/2006)
|-
|colspan=2 align=center| 'Frigates'
|-
|2||SalihReis Class (MEKO^® 200 TN II-B) Frigates
|-
|2||Barbaros Class (MEKO^® 200 TN II-A) Frigates
|-
|4||Yavuz Class (MEKO^® 200 TN I) Frigates
|-}
|8||G Class (Oliver Hazard Perry class) Frigates (under Genesis Modernization Project)
|-
|3||Tepe Class (Knox class) Frigates (other 5 ships of this class retired)
|-
|0||TF-2000 Class Frigates (+6 approved on 12/12/2006)
|-
|colspan=2 align=center| 'Corvettes'
|-
|0||Milgem Class Corvettes (+12 under construction)
|-
|6||B Class (D'Estienne d'Orves class A-69 type Aviso) Corvettes
|-
|colspan=2 align=center| 'Helicopters & Naval Aircraft'
|-
|0||ATR 72-500 ASW/ASuW MPA (+10 under construction)
|-
|6||CASA CN-235 ASW/ASuW MPA
|-
|7||TB-20 Training Aircraft
|-
|7||SeaHawk (S-70B2 Class) ASW/ASuW Helicopters (+17 ordered)
|-
|14||AB-212 Class Naval Warfare ASW/ASuW/EW/SAR Helicopters
|-
|colspan=2 align=center| 'Fast Attack Missile & Torpedo Boats'
|-
|2||Kılıç II Class (+4 under construction)
|-
|3||Kılıç I Class
|-
|2||Yıldız Class
|-
|4||Rüzgar Class
|-
|4||Doğan Class
|-
|8||Kartal Class
|-
|colspan=2 align=center| 'Mine Warfare Ships'
|-
|3||''A Class'' Mine Hunters (+3 under construction)
|-
|5||''E Class'' Mine Hunters
|-
|4||''F Class'' Mine Sweepers
|-
|7||''S Class'' Mine Sweepers
|-
|3||''K Class'' Mine Sweepers
|-
|colspan=2 align=center| 'Main Landing Ships'
|-
|0||LPD Landing Platform Dock (+1 approved on 12/12/2006)
|-
|1||OsmanGazi Class
|-
|2||SarucaBey Class
|-
|2||Ertuğrul Class LST
|-
|colspan=2 align=center| 'Landing Craft'
|-
|25||''Ç-117 Class'' LCT
|-
|17||''Ç-302 Class'' LCM
|-
|}

Source

★ [1]

★ [2]

See also

★ Military history of Turkey

★ Military of the Ottoman Empire

References and notes

1. Turkish Navy: TF-2000 Frigate Project
2. Global Security: TF-2000
3. Turkish Navy: Landing Platform Dock (LPD) Project
4. Turkish Navy: New Type Submarine Project
5. Turkish Navy: Landing Ship, Tank (LST) Project
6. Turkish Navy: Landing Craft, Tank (LCT) Project
7. Turkish Navy: New Type Patrol Boat Project
8. Turkish Navy: Rescue and Towing Ship (R&T Ship) Project
9. Turkish Navy: Submarine Rescue Mother Ship (MOSHIP) Project

External links

★ Official Turkish Navy Website

★ Official Turkish Armed Forces Website

★ Turkish Naval Museum

★ Turkish Navy
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