Turkey Launches First Two Hisar-Class Offshore Patrol Vessels
The first two Hisar Class OPVs produced for the Turkish Naval Forces, named TCG AKHİSAR and TCG KOÇHİSAR, were launched at an official ceremony held at the Istanbul Shipyard Command as part of the ‘Offshore Patrol Vessel (ADKG) Project’ carried out by the main contractor ASFAT affiliated with the Turkish Ministry of Defense. The ceremony was attended by Turkish Naval Forces Commander Admiral Ercüment Tatlıoğlu, Defense Industry President Haluk Görgün, and Deputy Minister of National Defense Celal Sami Tüfekci, in addition to Minister of National Defense Yaşar Güler and Chief of General Staff General Metin Gürak.
Speaking at the ceremony, Turkish Minister of Defense Yaşar Güler said, “We are rightfully proud and happy to launch our first maritime patrol ships, Akhisar and Koçhisar. With the addition of these ships to our navy, which demonstrate the outstanding level reached by our local and national defense industry, our naval forces will further increase their operational capability in the blue homeland and reinforce their distinguished place among the leading naval forces in the world”.
Based on the needs of the Turkish Navy, the Turkish Ministry of Defense signed a contract with ASFAT in November 2020 for two Hisar-class offshore patrol vessels. While the construction of the first ship of the project TCG AKHİSAR (P-1220) started in August 2021, the construction of the second ship TCG KOÇHİSAR (P-1221) started in December 2022. TCG AKHİSAR and TCG KOÇHİSAR, the first two ships in the series, are scheduled to be delivered to the Turkish Naval Forces in 2024. Furthermore, the Turkish Ministry of Defense and ASFAT are expected to sign a new contract for the production of eight more Hisar-class Offshore Patrol Vessels in the near future.
The Hisar class OPV platform is designed to perform fundamental tasks such as intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, search and rescue, anti-terrorism, control of maritime jurisdiction regions, maritime security, smuggling and piracy prevention, and humanitarian aid in natural disasters. Secondary missions for the ship include naval air operations, electronic and acoustic warfare, bombardment of shore targets, defense against asymmetrical threats, maritime transport protection, and support and training within the scope of amphibious operations.
HİSAR OPVs are based on the MİLGEM Ada-class corvette design and have a full load displacement of 300 tons, a length of 100 meters, a width of 14.42 meters, and a draft of 3.77 meters. These ships can reach a top speed of 24 knots and have a range of 4,500 nautical miles thanks to a combined diesel-electric engine (CODELOD) main propulsion system. The ships, which have a crew capacity of 104 people, also have two inflatable boats and a helipad for the use of helicopters and unmanned aerial vehicles.
The ships, which have a simpler weapon load compared to the MİLGEM Ada Class corvettes, include 1 MKE-produced 76/62mm naval gun, 2 UNIROBOTICS-produced Targan 12.7 mm Remote Controlled Stabilized Turrets, 1 ASELSAN-produced Gökdeniz 35mm CIWS, 8 ROKETSAN-produced Hisar-O Air Defense Missiles, 8 ROKETSAN-produced Atmaca Anti-Ship Missiles, and 2 ASELSAN-produced 6-cell DSH (Anti-Submarine Warfare) Rocket Launchers. Among the technical systems on the ship are the YAKAMOS 2020 New Generation Hull Mounted Sonar produced by METEKSAN, MAR-D 3D Search Radar produced by ASELSAN, Piri-KATS (Infrared Search and Tracking System) produced by ASELSAN, DENİZGÖZÜ AHTOPOT-S Electro-optical Search System produced by ASELSAN, 2 ASELSAN-produced AKR-D Fire Control Radars, TÜBİTAK-produced YELKOVAN Radar Electronic Support System, and the HAVELSAN-produced ADVENT SYS (Combat Management System).