Turkish Naval Forces

File:TurkishNavySeal.gif

Seal of the Turkish Navy

The Turkish Navy (Turkish: Türk Deniz Kuvvetleri) 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, underwent a structural reformation and modernization.

Today, the Turkish Navy ranks 8th in the world in terms of staff, with 51,000 active personnel. 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 (28,000 km) and return back to their home bases.

History

• Main article: History of the Turkish Navy

Ship and submarine classes of the Turkish fleet since 1923

File:Type 209-1400 Istanbul.jpg

A Type 209/1400 submarine of the Turkish Navy at the Bosporus in Istanbul

File:Type 209-1400 Bosphorus.jpg

A Type 209/1400 submarine of the Turkish Navy at the Bosporus in Istanbul

File:Type 209-1200 Istanbul.jpg

A Type 209/1200 submarine of the Turkish Navy at the Bosporus in Istanbul

File:MEKO 200 TN.jpg

MEKO 200 TN type frigates of the Turkish Navy in formation

File:F-247 TCG Kemal Reis.jpg

F-247 TCG KemalReis is a SalihReis (MEKO 200 TN II-B) class frigate of the Turkish Navy

File:F-493 TCG Gelibolu.jpg

F-493 TCG Gelibolu is a G class (O.H. Perry) frigate of the Turkish Navy

File:F-490 TCG Gaziantep.jpg

F-490 TCG Gaziantep is a G class (O.H. Perry) frigate of the Turkish Navy

File:F-255 TCG Karadeniz.jpg

F-255 TCG Karadeniz is a Tepe (Knox) class frigate of the Turkish Navy

File:B class corvettes of TN in Izmir.jpg

B class (Aviso) corvettes of the Turkish Navy at the port of İzmir

File:KILIC class.jpg

P-334 Meltem is a Kılıç II class missile corvette of the Turkish Navy

File:Milgem1.jpg

Construction works of F-511 TCG Heybeliada, the lead ship of the twelve Milgem class next generation corvettes and frigates of the Turkish Navy

File:Turkish LPD concept by Fincantieri at IDEF 2007.jpg

LPD concept proposed by Italy's Fincantieri for the Turkish Navy at the IDEF 2007 military fair in Ankara. Other strong contenders include the Dokdo class (LPX) designed by Hanjin Heavy Industries of South Korea, the Canberra/Juan Carlos and Galicia classes designed by Navantia of Spain, and the San Antonio class designed by Northrop Grumman of the United States

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, the 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 (D 360) 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 (D 340) and TCG İzmir (D 341) in 1967, and the TCG İçel (D 344), TCG İskenderun (D 343) and TCG İzmit (D 342) in 1969.

Starting from 1971, the Turkish Navy acquired a total of ten U.S.-built FRAM I Gearing class destroyers from the United States, namely TCG Adatepe-II (D 353) (1971), TCG Kocatepe-II (D 354) (1971), TCG Tınaztepe-II (D 355) (1972), TCG Gayret-II (D 352) (1973), TCG Mareşal Fevzi Çakmak-II (D 351) (1973), TCG Kocatepe-III (1974), TCG Savaştepe (D 348) (1979), TCG Piyale Paşa-II (D 350) (1980), TCG Kılıç Ali Paşa-II (D 349) (1980) and TCG Yücetepe (D 345) (1982). In 1981 and 1982, two Carpenter class destroyers joined the fleet, namely TCG Anıttepe (D 347) (1981) and TCG Alçıtepe (D 346) (1982). Carpenter class was a modified version of the Gearing class destroyer.

Turkish-built frigates TCG Berk (D 358) and TCG Peyk (D 359) 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, the 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 (S 347) (1976), TCG Saldıray-II (S 348) (1977), TCG Batıray (S 349) (1978), TCG Yıldıray-II (S 350) (1981), TCG Doğanay (S 351) (1984) and TCG Dolunay (S 352) (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 (S 353) (1994), TCG Sakarya-II (S 354) (1995), TCG 18 Mart (S 355) (1998) and TCG Anafartalar (S 356) (1999). The last four submarines, classified as the Gür class (Type 209T2/1400) were laid down between 2002 and 2006, and commissioned as TCG Gür-III (S 357) (2003), TCG Çanakkale-II (S 358) (2005), TCG Burakreis-IV (S 359) (2006) and TCG II. İnönü-IV (S 360) (2007). At present, the Turkish Navy operates the largest fleet of German-designed submarines in the world.

In 1983 two German-built Köln class frigates, namely TCG Gelibolu-II (D 360) and TCG Gemlik-II (D 361), 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. These ships are equipped with the Mk.41 vertical launching system.

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.

Two 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 four TF-2000 class AAW frigates, the acquisition of a Landing Platform Dock (LPD) and a total of six Type 214 AIP submarines 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). The Turkish Navy also plans to acquire 2 new Tank Landing Ships (LST), 8 new Tank Landing Crafts (LCT), 16 new Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPV) with ASW capability, 2 new Rescue & Towing (R&T) ships, and 1 new Submarine Rescue Mother Ship (MOSHIP).

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
  • Naval infantry Brigade Command, Foça
    • Amphibious Group Command, Foça
  • Naval infantry Battalion Command, İzmir
  • 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 İlker Başbuğ

• Commander of the Navy: Admiral Metin Ataç

1. Fleet Command: Admiral Uğur Yiğit
2. Northern Sea Area Command: Vice Admiral Feyyaz Öğütçü
3. Southern Sea Area Command: Vice Admiral Erdal Bucak
4. Naval Training and Education Command: Vice Admiral Kadir Sağdıç

Marines and Special Forces

The Turkish Navy maintains several Marines and Special Operations units. These include the Amphibious Marines Brigade (Amfibi Deniz Piyade Tugayı), several commando detachments and two special operations forces:

• Amphibious Marines Brigade - (Amfibi Deniz Piyade Tugayı) consisting of 4500 men based in Foça near İzmir, three amphibious battalions, an MBT battalion, an artillery battalion, a support battalion and other company-sized units.
• Su Altı Taarruz - (S.A.T.) (Underwater Attack). The missions of the Su Altı Taarruz (SAT) include the acquisition of military intelligence, amphibious assault, counter-terrorism and VIP protection.
• Su Altı Savunma - (S.A.S.) (Underwater Defense).

Main equipment

TURKISH NAVY
Submarines
4	Gür class Type 209T2/1400 Submarines
4	Preveze class Type 209T1/1400 Submarines
6	Atılay class Type 209/1200 Submarines
0	Type 214 AIP Submarines (+6 approved on 12/12/2006)
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, possible transfer of 2 more Perry class frigates (FFG-12 and FFG-14) to the Turkish Navy has been approved by the U.S. Congress on 24/10/2007)
2	Tepe class (Knox class) Frigates (other 6 ships of this class retired)
0	TF-2000 class Frigates (+4 AAW frigates approved on 12/12/2006)
0	F-100 class Frigates (a total of 4 will be built as part of the Milgem project)
Corvettes
1	Ada class Corvettes (a total of 8 will be built as part of the Milgem project)
6	B class (D'Estienne d'Orves class A-69 type Aviso) Corvettes
Fast Attack Missile & Torpedo Boats
5	Kılıç II class (+1 under construction)
3	Kılıç I class
2	Yıldız class
4	Rüzgar class
4	Doğan class
8	Kartal class
7	Türk class
0	New ASW OPV class (+16 under construction)
Patrol Crafts
4	PGM71 class
5	K class
1	T class
1	Hisar class
Helicopters & Naval Aircraft
10	ATR 72-500 ASW/ASuW MPA
9	CASA CN-235 ASW/ASuW MPA
7	TB-20 Training Aircraft
24	Sikorsky S-70B2 Seahawk ASW/ASuW Helicopters
3	AB-204 Naval Warfare ASW/ASuW/EW/SAR Helicopters
14	AB-212 Naval Warfare ASW/ASuW/EW/SAR Helicopters
8	AB-412 EP SAR Helicopters
Mine Warfare Ships
6	A class Mine Hunters (Second Navy after the German Navy to use non-magnetic steel hulls)
5	E class Mine Hunters
4	F class Mine Sweepers
7	S class Mine Sweepers
3	K class Mine Sweepers
Main Landing Ships
0	LPD Landing Platform Dock (+1 approved on 12/12/2006)
1	OsmanGazi class
2	SarucaBey class
2	Ertuğrul class LST
0	New LST class (+2 approved on 12/12/2006)
Landing Craft
0	New LCT class (+8 approved on 12/12/2006)
25	Ç-117 class LCT
17	Ç-302 class LCM
Survey Ships
2	Çeşme class
1	Çubuklu class
2	Meseha class
Support Ships
2	Akar class Supertanker
2	Albay Burak Hakkı class Oil Tanker
3	Binbaşı Sadettin Gürcan class Oil Tanker
1	Taşkızak class Oil Tanker
2	Van class Water Tanker
3	Söğüt class Water Tanker
Transport Ships
1	TCG Iskenderun A1600
Training & School Ships
2	Rhein class
8	Training Craft
Salvage Ships
1	Diver class
1	Bluebird class
1	Chanticleer class
Tugs
1	Darıca class
1	Tenace class
1	Cherokee class
1	Akbaş class

Sources

• [1]
• [2]
• [3]

See also

• Military history of Turkey
• Military of the Ottoman Empire

External links

• Official Turkish Navy Website Template:Tr
• Official Turkish Armed Forces Website
• Turkish Naval Museum
• Turkish Navy