Firsts were achieved in Turkey with offshore patrol ships

The first two of the 10 ships targeted to be built within the scope of the project are being built at the Istanbul Shipyard Command under the main contractorship of the Military Factory and Shipyard Management Joint Stock Company (ASFAT). TCG AKHİSAR and TCG KOÇHİSAR ships were launched together, only 17 months after the first sheet metal cutting, with advanced equipment and to start port acceptance tests as soon as possible.

The fact that two ships were launched on the same slipway in such a short time and at this level is a first for the Turkish defense industry.

The ships built will perform the basic tasks of intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance, search and rescue, fight against terrorism, maritime surveillance operations and maritime special operations. As secondary tasks, support and training activities will be carried out within the scope of naval air operations, electronic and acoustic warfare, land bombardment, defense against asymmetric threats, protection of maritime transport, and amphibious operations.

ASFAT Naval Programs Director Emre Koray Gençsoy said that there was a great effort and effort behind launching the first two of the HİSAR class offshore patrol ships at the same time.

“This is a very big deal, it’s not something that can be seen very easily.” Gençsoy emphasized that in addition to these 2 ships, they are simultaneously building 7 naval platforms in Turkey and Pakistan.

Expressing that carrying out these projects simultaneously requires very detailed planning, identifying some risks, acting according to those risks and solving the problems encountered, a very flexible structure is needed, Gençsoy stated that the Open Sea Patrol Ship Project contains many firsts.

Explaining that a very fast contract process was carried out in line with the needs of the Naval Forces and was completed in 2 months, Gençsoy stated that electric drive engines were added to the project with the suggestion of ASFAT during the contract phase. Gençsoy said:

“Thus, the ships have been made capable of electrical propulsion. This is a first for us. The production period of the project is only 26 months. This is a very short period. It is a really important target for our defense industry for complex platforms of this size in naval platforms. This is also a first. When you look at it, you see MİLGEM, but the analysis has been done from the beginning and it is a lighter ship. It is a ship whose propeller systems and shaft systems have been changed. There is even a first here. All analyzes of our propellers, from underwater noise to their traces, are carried out in Turkey, Istanbul Technical University. It was carried out in the laboratories at the University. It was progressed after mutual confirmation with the propeller manufacturer. This is a first for the project. Before it reached this stage, while it was being put on the sled, there were some firsts made due to the need arising from the lack of time. For example, a mega block was created by bringing together 3 blocks. Just I’m not talking about a steel block, but about advanced equipped blocks. This was both an important stage for our defense industry and a source of pride for us. Another first is the launching of two ships together. This is not something that is encountered very often. It shows how well ASFAT can organize with our other stakeholders and how flexible it can act. This ship is now ready to power up. These are truly highly equipped ships. Achieving this is possible with a professional team, strong team spirit, flexibility and dynamism.”

Embargoes were overcome with domestic solutions

Mentioning that there may be implicit embargoes or some situations that delay the project in systems procured from abroad, Gençsoy said that alternative studies are carried out with subcontractor companies regarding systems that may be at risk, contracts are made with the most advanced companies, and the systems are localized and delivered to the ships despite the tight schedule. Emre Koray Gençsoy said, “I can even proudly say that the systems are currently installed on the ship. The ships are ready to provide electricity and start port acceptance tests as soon as they land. We have brought the project to this point so that we will not have any missing equipment.” said.

They were built with the “ready-on-site” concept

Gençsoy pointed out that the project also used the “ready on site” concept, which will allow the subsequent integration of newly developed national weapon and sensor systems, and said:

“What you normally see is a patrol ship, but it is a heavily armed ship. We have sonar, air defense missiles, cannons, and surface-to-surface missiles on this ship. It is a ship with a heavy weapon load. While the ship is being designed, that is, energy capacity, cooling, heating capacities, electrical cable routes, “When the pipe systems were designed, all these systems were arranged as if they were on the ship. This is easy to say but difficult to do.”

ASFAT is also ready for duty for other ships

Emre Koray Gençsoy said that the Offshore Patrol Ship Project consists of 10 ships in total and AFSAT’s obligation is to build the first two.

In addition, Gençsoy stated that ASFAT conveyed 4 different options for other variants of the project to the necessary authorities, and stated that among these are platforms that are heavily armed and can perform air defense missions. Gençsoy emphasized that if given the task, they can build these platforms cost-effectively and in a short time.