The Barbaros-Class Multipurpose Frigates of Turkey are to be Modernized

ANKARA (Turkey), April 11, 2018, Author: Galina Zdravkova (Bm), Photo: Ebrahim Hamid/AFP/Getty Images

Four of the most modern frigates of the Turkish Navy – the Turkish Barbaros-class multipurpose frigates are to undergo half life-cycle full modernization by 2025, reported Defense News.

The modernization project will be implemented by a consortium of two state-controlled Turkish defence companies – Aselsan (a company with area of specialization in military electronics and the biggest defence company in Turkey) and the military software concern Havelsan.

The warships were designed in Germany. Two of them (TCG Barbaros (F-244) and TCG Salihreis (F-246) were built by Blohm & Voss in Hamburg, Germany and the other two – by Gölcük Naval Shipyard in Kocaeli, Turkey with German technological know-how and assistance.

The ships TCG Barbaros (F-244), TCG Oruçreis (F-245), TCG Salihreis (F-246), and TCG Kemalreis (F-247) were respectively launched on the dates 29 September 1993, 28 July 1994, 26 September 1997, and on 22 July 1998, and commissioned on 23 May 1997, 23 May 1997, 22 July 1998, and 8 June 2000.

Barbaros-class frigates capabilities include anti-aircraft warfare, anti-surface warfare, as well as anti-submarine warfare.

In a statement of Aselsan sent to the Istanbul Stock Exchange it is said that their share of the works would be at the amount of €175 million plus TL457 million (about $115 million). Havelsan has not announced the amount of their part of the project by now.