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TURKEY INTRODUCES FIRST SELF-PRODUCED WARSHIP AMIDST EAST MED TENSION
Today's Zaman
Sept 27 2011
Turkey
Turkey on Tuesday announced that its first domestically produced
warship, the Heybeliada, is operational in a ceremony held at the
İstanbul Naval Shipyard Command amidst ongoing tension over a Greek
Cypriot drive to explore gas reserves in the Eastern Mediterranean.
Speaking during the ceremony, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan
proudly said Turkey has taken its place among 10 countries that can
design and construct warships, as he introduced the warship. Recalling
that the Heybeliada, a patrol and anti-submarine warship produced by
the İstanbul Naval Shipyard Command, was constructed in three years
as part of the National Ship (MİLGEM) project, Erdogan said he is
pleased to see that the government did indeed take a correct step
with the MİLGEM project.
The delivery of the Heybeliada to the Turkish navy comes amidst
the country's efforts to protect its own interests in the Eastern
Mediterranean in the face of a gas row with the Greek Cypriot
government. Turkey has decided to begin its own gas exploration project
in the Eastern Mediterranean and to boost its military presence in the
region after the Greek Cypriot government vowed to go ahead with its
plans to drill for gas south of Cyprus. Last week, Turkey marked its
marine borders with Turkish Cyprus for offshore oil and gas drilling
and a Turkish seismic research ship began exploring for gas on Tuesday
near Cyprus.
Turkey said Turkish naval ships could escort Turkish energy exploration
ships in the Mediterranean, raising the possibility of a naval
confrontation. "We will try all channels of peace but we will also
protect our country's interests until the end," Erdogan said during
the ceremony commenting on the gas row.
Turkey also earlier vowed to take measures to ensure freedom of
navigation in the Eastern Mediterranean in the face of Israel's
refusal to apologize to Turkey over a deadly raid in 2010 on an aid
ship trying to break the blockade of Gaza, which resulted in the
deaths of eight Turks and a Turkish-American. Erdogan said earlier
that Turkish frigates and assault boats might be sent to the Eastern
Mediterranean at any time to ensure freedom of navigation, raising
the possibility of a naval confrontation with Israel.
Tuesday's ceremony also marked the sending of the MİLGEM project's
second ship, Buyukada, to sea for trial. The MİLGEM project stands
as a turning point for Turkey, as it marks the first corvette-class
warship designed by Turkish naval engineers.
Both the software and hardware of the corvette's war management systems
were also developed domestically and much of the equipment was designed
by domestic companies. Around 38 Turkish private sector companies
were involved in the production of the Heybeliada's sub-systems. The
prototype cost close to $260 million to build.
The construction of the Heybeliada began on Jan. 22, 2007 and it has
undergone comprehensive sea trials since 2008. Harpoon missiles as
well as RAM PDMS air-guided missile defense systems are among the
warship's features. The systems and sub-systems developed for the
ship include 3-D detection and tracking radars, degaussing systems,
fire-control radars, hull-mounted sonar, naval guns, navigation radars
and torpedo countermeasure systems.
http://www.todayszaman.com/news-258114-turkey-introduces-first-self-produced-warship-amidst-east-med-tension.html
Today's Zaman
Sept 27 2011
Turkey
Turkey on Tuesday announced that its first domestically produced
warship, the Heybeliada, is operational in a ceremony held at the
İstanbul Naval Shipyard Command amidst ongoing tension over a Greek
Cypriot drive to explore gas reserves in the Eastern Mediterranean.
Speaking during the ceremony, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan
proudly said Turkey has taken its place among 10 countries that can
design and construct warships, as he introduced the warship. Recalling
that the Heybeliada, a patrol and anti-submarine warship produced by
the İstanbul Naval Shipyard Command, was constructed in three years
as part of the National Ship (MİLGEM) project, Erdogan said he is
pleased to see that the government did indeed take a correct step
with the MİLGEM project.
The delivery of the Heybeliada to the Turkish navy comes amidst
the country's efforts to protect its own interests in the Eastern
Mediterranean in the face of a gas row with the Greek Cypriot
government. Turkey has decided to begin its own gas exploration project
in the Eastern Mediterranean and to boost its military presence in the
region after the Greek Cypriot government vowed to go ahead with its
plans to drill for gas south of Cyprus. Last week, Turkey marked its
marine borders with Turkish Cyprus for offshore oil and gas drilling
and a Turkish seismic research ship began exploring for gas on Tuesday
near Cyprus.
Turkey said Turkish naval ships could escort Turkish energy exploration
ships in the Mediterranean, raising the possibility of a naval
confrontation. "We will try all channels of peace but we will also
protect our country's interests until the end," Erdogan said during
the ceremony commenting on the gas row.
Turkey also earlier vowed to take measures to ensure freedom of
navigation in the Eastern Mediterranean in the face of Israel's
refusal to apologize to Turkey over a deadly raid in 2010 on an aid
ship trying to break the blockade of Gaza, which resulted in the
deaths of eight Turks and a Turkish-American. Erdogan said earlier
that Turkish frigates and assault boats might be sent to the Eastern
Mediterranean at any time to ensure freedom of navigation, raising
the possibility of a naval confrontation with Israel.
Tuesday's ceremony also marked the sending of the MİLGEM project's
second ship, Buyukada, to sea for trial. The MİLGEM project stands
as a turning point for Turkey, as it marks the first corvette-class
warship designed by Turkish naval engineers.
Both the software and hardware of the corvette's war management systems
were also developed domestically and much of the equipment was designed
by domestic companies. Around 38 Turkish private sector companies
were involved in the production of the Heybeliada's sub-systems. The
prototype cost close to $260 million to build.
The construction of the Heybeliada began on Jan. 22, 2007 and it has
undergone comprehensive sea trials since 2008. Harpoon missiles as
well as RAM PDMS air-guided missile defense systems are among the
warship's features. The systems and sub-systems developed for the
ship include 3-D detection and tracking radars, degaussing systems,
fire-control radars, hull-mounted sonar, naval guns, navigation radars
and torpedo countermeasure systems.
http://www.todayszaman.com/news-258114-turkey-introduces-first-self-produced-warship-amidst-east-med-tension.html