The benefits of joint exercises
… on the calendar October 1992. A joint squadron of NATO naval forces is moving in the Aegean Sea. The darkness of the southern night is cut through by the navigation lights of the ships - the crews take a break from the busy day's watch. They do not sleep only on the aircraft carrier "Saratoga" - American sailors are studying the automated guidance system for anti-aircraft missiles Mk.95 (a key element of the Sea Sparrow air defense system). The ships of the allies are used as "targets" - naturally, the allies do not know about this and sleep peacefully, swaying in their bunks.
The Americans deploy their fire control radar, taking turns taking aim at each ship of the allied squadron. The target is taken for escort, the air defense system is ready to fire! Okay, the exercise was done perfectly, now be careful … no, I said OO carefully … press the cancel key and turn the radar in the other direction.
Someone's sleepy finger presses the wrong key - the command "Arm and tune" (fire to kill) comes to the rocket fire control panel. With a sharp clang, the wall of the launch container scatters, two anti-aircraft missiles, guided by the beam of the Mk.95 radar, rush towards the target. Who is the target? Oh shit, this is the Turkish destroyer Muavenet!
5 dead, 22 wounded - a Turkish warship was shot by the allies during exercises as a rusty target. A terrible incident. The Turks look resentfully at their overlord. Uncle Sam gives Turkey a new ship - instead of the battered Muavenet (an old galoshes, a former American destroyer during the Second World War), Turkish sailors receive another decommissioned US Navy frigate.
Turkish Navy today
Despite its regional status, the Turkish navy is a well-balanced strike force - a strong argument in the troubled region of the Middle East. Rich traditions (the Ottoman fleet dates back to the XIV century). Bright victories (what is the memorable pogrom of the Anglo-French squadron when trying to break through the Dardanelles, 1915). Modern technology (new ships and a modernized second hand from the leading shipbuilders of the USA and Europe). And most importantly, the increased attention paid by the Turkish leadership to this type of armed forces. All this has turned the Turkish Navy into the most formidable player in the eastern Mediterranean.
Readers will certainly be interested in comparing the Turkish fleet with its obvious rival - the Russian Black Sea Fleet. How great are the possibilities for both opponents? Which of the fleets of the two powers is the most effective when conducting operations in the vastness of the Mediterranean and Black Seas? We will try to briefly answer these questions.
Let's start with the submarine fleet.
Submarines type 209
Multipurpose diesel-electric boats of German design, one of the most widespread diesel-electric submarines in the world. Submerged displacement - 1285 … 1600 tons (depending on modification). Full speed - 22 knots. The cruising range under the snorkel is 8000 miles at a cruising speed of 10 knots. The range on batteries is 400 miles at a speed of 4 knots. The maximum diving depth is 500 meters. Crew of 30 people.
Armament: 8 bow torpedo tubes, ammunition - 14 units of mine-torpedo weapons or anti-ship missiles "Harpoon".
Usually, submarines are undeservedly placed at the very bottom of the list of ships - after all destroyers and frigates. In reality, the boats are the combat core of the fleet, the most powerful and deadly ships capable of solving a wide range of tasks - from disrupting sea communications to conducting special missions: observation and reconnaissance, disembarking sabotage groups and aircraft correctors, breaking the blockade, and delivering special cargo.
The Turkish Navy is armed with 14 submarines - the equipment was purchased in Germany from 1976 to 2007. The last four boats purchased in the new century - the Gyur type - are a new modification of the Type 209T2 / 1400. In 2011, a contract was signed for the supply of another batch of six Type 214 submarines equipped with an AIP air-independent propulsion system based on hydrogen fuel cells.
Surface Forces of the Turkish Navy
Type G frigates
Full displacement of 4200 tons. The crew is 220 people. Full speed 30 knots. The onboard fuel supply provides a cruising range of 5,000 miles at an economic speed of 18 knots.
Armament:
- single-beam launcher Mk.13 (ammunition for 8 anti-ship missiles "Harpoon" and 32 medium-range anti-aircraft missiles SM-1MR);
- installation of vertical launch Mk.41 (ammunition - 32 anti-aircraft self-defense missiles RIM-162 ESSM);
- 76 mm OTO Melara artillery system;
- anti-aircraft artillery complex of self-defense "Falanx" (six-barreled gun of 20 mm caliber, radar and fire control system, mounted on a single gun carriage);
- anti-submarine system Mk.32 (two TA, six small torpedoes);
- anti-submarine helicopter S-70 "Sea Hawk".
Multipurpose frigates with enhanced AA defenses. All 8 units are former American ships of the Oliver Hazard Perry type, transferred to the Turkish Navy under the military assistance program. They underwent modernization with the installation of new types of weapons (bow UVP Mk.41 with ESSM missiles) and electronic systems (BIUS of its own design, new MSA Mk.92). On the aft helipad, a system appeared to facilitate landing and towing of the ASIST helicopter.
By the way, the American frigates "Oliver H. Perry" have never been distinguished by high combat characteristics. During their service, "Perry" twice became victims of actions by the enemy. It is difficult to say how much the air defense capabilities of the modernized Turkish frigates have increased, however, 32 modern Evolved Sea Sparrow Missle (ESSM) anti-aircraft missiles, capable of maneuvering with a 50-fold overload at a speed of 4M, should significantly increase the level of protection of ships from air attacks.
Turkish frigates in the Black Sea Fleet have no direct competitors. The patrol ships "Smetlivy" (project 61) and "Pytlivy" (project 1135) are designed to solve completely different tasks. Russian patrol ships (frigates, according to NATO classification) have a completely different composition of weapons, aimed at strengthening anti-submarine defense.
In terms of their air defense capabilities, Turkish G-type frigates are approaching the missile cruiser Moskva, however, their striking power is simply incomparable with that of a cruiser.
Barbaros-class frigates
Full displacement of 3350 tons. The crew is 180 people. Full speed is 32 knots. The onboard fuel supply provides a cruising range of 4,000 miles at an economic speed of 18 knots.
Armament:
- 2 four-charge launchers for launching anti-ship missiles "Harpoon";
- eight-charge installation of sea air defense system "Sea Sparrow" (ammunition - 16 anti-aircraft missiles, of which 8 are ready for launch directly);
- artillery system Mk. 45 caliber 127 mm;
- 3 Sea Zenith anti-aircraft artillery complexes of 25 mm caliber;
- anti-submarine system Mk.32 (two TA, six small torpedoes);
- anti-submarine helicopter S-70 "Sea Hawk".
Four German frigates built according to the MEKO project (a family of warships developed by Blohm & Voss) specifically for the Turkish Navy. The last two ships of the series, Salih-Reis and Kemal-Reis, received a modern vertical launch unit Mk.41 with the aforementioned ESSM missiles instead of the Sea Sparrow box-type launcher.
Frigates of the "Muhavenet" class
Full displacement of 4200 tons. The crew is 250 people. Full speed 27 knots. The onboard fuel supply provides a cruising range of 4,000 miles at an economic speed of 20 knots.
Armament:
- launcher Mk.16 (ammunition six ASROC rocket torpedoes, two anti-ship missiles "Harpoon");
- artillery system Mk.42 caliber 127 mm;
- anti-aircraft artillery complex of self-defense "Falanx";
- a helipad, a hangar for a light helicopter.
Old American Knox-class frigates built in the early 1970s. Turkey received about a dozen "Knoxes" in various states - from relatively combat-ready units to disassembled hulls and piles of junk for cannibalization. To date, the Turkish Navy still has three frigates of this type. Suitable for patrolling and, to a limited extent, for anti-submarine missions.
A notable feature of the Knox-class frigates is the absence of any intelligible air defense. The ship's anti-aircraft capabilities are limited by the only ZAK "Falanx".
Knox-class frigate
Yavuz-class frigates
Full displacement 3000 tons. The crew is 180 people. Full speed 27 knots. Fuel autonomy - 4100 miles at an economic speed of 18 knots.
Armament:
- 2 four-charge launchers for launching anti-ship missiles "Harpoon";
- eight-charge installation of sea air defense system "Sea Sparrow" (ammunition - 16 anti-aircraft missiles);
- artillery system Mk. 45 caliber 127 mm;
- 3 Sea Zenith anti-aircraft artillery complexes of 25 mm caliber;
- anti-submarine system Mk.32 (two TA, six small torpedoes);
- light multipurpose helicopter.
The next representatives of the previous generation of the German MEKO project. Four Yavuz-class frigates were built in 1985-1989. They were once the most modern ships of the Turkish Navy. At the moment they are outdated and need to be replaced.
Frigate "Yildirim" ("Lightning")
MILGEM type corvettes
Full displacement of 2300 tons. Crew of 100 people. Full speed 30 knots. Fuel autonomy - 3500 miles at an economic speed of 15 knots.
Armament:
- 2 four-charge launchers for launching anti-ship missiles "Harpoon";
- 21-charge installation of close combat RAM (anti-aircraft missiles for self-defense);
- 76 mm OTO Melara artillery system;
- anti-submarine system Mk.32 (two TA, six small torpedoes);
- anti-submarine helicopter Sikorsky S-70 Seahawk and / or UAV.
* in the future it is planned to equip corvettes with UVP Mk.41 (32 anti-aircraft missiles RIM-162 ESSM)
Turkey's first attempt to create a modern warship "on its own". The quotes are not accidental - German developments are widely used in the design of corvettes, and all weapons are represented by American models. Nevertheless, corvettes of this type are being built at Istanbul shipyards, more than 50 related Turkish companies are involved in the construction, and all the electronic systems of the ships are integrated into the GENESIS combat information and control system of its own production.
To date, according to the MILGEM project (Milli Gemi, which means “national ship”), 2 corvettes have been built for the Turkish naval forces (one in service). Six more ships of this type are under construction, with a total planned number of 12 units. The last four corvettes are planned to be built according to a modified design with the installation of the latest air defense system based on UVP and ESSM missiles.
Admittedly, Turkish shipbuilders managed to create a fairly successful warship, with combat capabilities acceptable for its size. In the future, the supply of MILGEM-type corvettes for export is not excluded.
In addition to frigates and large multipurpose corvettes, the Turkish Navy includes:
- 6 elderly Burak-class corvettes. Displacement 1,300 tons, speed 23 knots, 100 mm artillery, French Exocet anti-ship missiles, small anti-submarine torpedoes.
- 27 small artillery ships (IAC) and missile boats;
- 20 mine-sweeping ships;
- 45 landing boats, including the Osman Ghazni tank landing ship;
- 13 naval tankers for the delivery of fuel, fresh water and other liquids;
- 2 military vehicles, incl. specialized "Iskenderun";
- 3 rescue vessels designed to evacuate crews from submarines lying on the ground, as well as to supply air, electricity and rescue equipment to emergency submarines (surface ships) and provide emergency medical assistance to victims.
- 6 sea tugs;
- 3 oceanographic vessels.
Minesweeper "Amasra" (М266)
Naval aviation includes:
- 19 basic anti-submarine and patrol aircraft (Italian-French ATR 72 and licensed Spanish CASA CN-235);
- 50 anti-submarine and multipurpose helicopters (heavy machines of the Sikorsky company and various modifications of the Iroquois helicopters built by the Italian company Augusta).
In the short term, Turkish admirals have outlined three important goals for themselves:
- to create its own air defense destroyer, comparable in capabilities with the American "Orly Burke" or at least with the European frigate "Horizon". Work on the project, which received the TF2000 code, has been underway since 2006.
- to introduce into the Navy a universal amphibious assault ship-helicopter carrier, similar in performance characteristics of the UDKV "Mistral". One can only guess why the Turks needed a ship of this class - all the interests of Turkey lie within a few hours of travel from Istanbul. However, these are just dreams, in reality the Turks are waiting for the transfer of the next frigates excluded from the US Navy - USS Halyburton and USS Thanch (both of the Oliver H. Perry type).
- an integrated supply ship (tanker) designed to provide the navy in remote areas of the oceans. There are suspicions that the Turkish KKS will be mainly used by American sailors - a kind of "contribution" of Turkey to international operations.
Acınmaktansa haset edilmek evladır - “Better to be envious than sorry,” says a Turkish proverb. The situation is really alarming, the southern neighbor is rapidly increasing its naval power. There is not even a desire to laugh and feel sorry for the "unfortunate Turks" with their used frigates - competently modernized equipment, especially in large numbers, provides the Turkish fleet with dominance in communications in the eastern part of the Mediterranean. However, it's not even about old frigates and not about the promising UDKV - the situation with submarines is much more dangerous: 14 Turkish submarines against two diesel-electric submarines of the Black Sea Fleet (one of which has been under repair since 2000).
The Turkish fleet is as strong as ever and is maximally adapted to solve local problems in the Black Sea and the Middle East. The modern Black Sea Fleet of Russia, on the contrary, is a skeleton of the once mighty fleet, "sharpened" for the solution of strategic tasks in the Mediterranean Sea and in the vastness of the World Ocean. It is enough to look at the appearance of the cruiser "Moskva" (the playful name is "the grin of socialism") to understand what kind of animal it is and for what purposes this magnificent technique is intended.
However, it should be remembered that there is a comparison of all the forces of the Turkish Navy (without division into areas of responsibility) with the limited forces of the Black Sea Fleet.
The Black Sea Fleet in the twentieth century, for a number of objective reasons, has never been the strongest Russian fleet. For example, nuclear submarines have never been based here - such questions should be addressed to the sailors from the North Sea. There is no doubt that with an increase in tension, ships of the Northern Fleet will arrive in the region and the Turkish fleet will simply dissolve against the background of this power.
Curious shot - a Turkish G-type frigate is escorting the Saar 4.5 missile boat of the Israeli Navy
