Turkey Hopes To Export GENESIS System for G-class Frigates

Turkey’s procurement office, in connection with state-controlled military software company Havelsan, has launched efforts to export an indigenous naval combat management system.

 

Havelsan developed the GENESIS advanced combat management system for the US-built Oliver Hazard Perry (G)-class frigates used by the US Navy and a number of allied countries worldwide.

 

The company has upgraded Turkish frigates with the GENESIS system. One company official said further upgrades on the system, including a ship data link system and 3-D search radar integration, are underway, scheduled for completion later this year.

 

“We think that there is a potential [need] for GENESIS from navies across the world that have in their inventories G-class frigates, most notably the US,” one official from Turkish procurement agency SSM said.

 

Turkey earlier spent efforts to secure deals with Bahrain and Pakistan to outfit their G-class frigates with the GENESIS system but no deal has been formalized. Another potential deal with Egypt failed due to political disputes between Ankara and Cairo.

 

“We are particularly hopeful about a contract to upgrade the US frigates,” the official said.

The Havelsan official said other potential buyers include Taiwan and Spain.

Turkey increases navy force in Mediterranean

Turkey is reinforcing its position in the Mediterranean Sea following the escalation in tension along its border with Syria.

A number of warships and submarines have been sent to bases in the Mediterranean from the northwestern province of Gölcük where the main base of the Naval Forces is located. The ships were fully loaded with arms labeled "war load."

Tension has escalated between the two countries after a Syrian shell bomb hit the Akçakale region in the southeastern Turkish province of Şanlıurfa. Turkey reciprocated by bombing Syrian army targets, and on Oct. 4 the Turkish Parliament passed a motion for a one-year mandate authorizing the military use of ground troops for cross-border operations into "foreign countries."

Chief of staff at the Turkish navy arrested in probe on army spying

Chief of staff at the Turkish navy vice admiral Veysel Kösele arrested as part of a military espionage probe.

Today, vice admiral Kösele and some other admirals had arrived at an İzmir prosecutor’s office to testify in an ongoing army spying case.

After questioning, prosecutor directed Admiral Kösele an one lieutenant to a court requesting they arrest. The court ordered vice admiral Kösele and lieutenant arrest.

The investigation against the espionage gang started in 2009 after allegations arose that the gang reportedly targeted active-duty officers with knowledge of details about warcraft radar location. The suspects are also charged with listening to private phone conversations and spying on some officer’s bedrooms through cameras and blackmailing them. In the operation, 93 people including 59 active-duty-soldiers have already been detained. The suspects are also charged with sending escort girls to the officer’s homes.

Family compensated after Turkish admiral dies of asbestos on US ship

Warship 'Adatepe.'

A U.S. ship-building company has paid compensation to the family of a Turkish admiral who died of cancer after serving for years on a warship containing asbestos.

The Turkish admiral served on the warship Adatepe D 353, which was purchased from the United States in 1971, before he died of cancer, Güngör Karakuş of daily Habertürk reported today.

The admiral's family, who asked to remain anonymous, sought legal compensation after they learned that the late officer contracted cancer due to the asbestos used in the U.S.-made ship. A court sentenced the company that built the ship to pay an undisclosed amount of money to the family to compensate for the admiral's death.

The court's ruling provided a precedent for the families of thousands of other Turkish sailors who have died of, or have suffered from, cancer to seek legal compensation from the company, lawyers Özge Haktan and Özlem Nur Öztürk said, as the Turkish Navy was known to possess a total of 25 warships built using asbestos that were all purchased from, or donated by, the U.S.

The first of the asbestos-laden warships were delivered to Turkey in 1949 as a donation from the U.S., the report said. Turkey continued to acquire ships that contained asbestos through donations and purchases in subsequent years.

Service members who worked on ships containing asbestos previously received compensation in the U.S., Italy and Greece, but the present case is the first time any Turk has received a payment.

Turkish warships that contain asbestos:

1. Adatepe D 353

2. Muavenet DM357

3. Gaziantep D 348

4. Gemlik D 347

5. M. Fevzi Çakmak D 351

6. Gayret D 352

7. Kocatepe D 354

8. Tınaztepe D 355

9. Zafer D 356

10. Alçıtepe D 346

11. Anıttepe D 347

12. Yücetepe D 345

13. Savaştepe D 348

14. Kılıçalipaşa D 349

15. Piyalepaşa D 350

16. Giresun D 345

17. Gelibolu D 346

18. İçel D 344

19. İskenderun

20. İzmit D 342

21. İstanbul D 340

22. İzmir D 341

23. TCG Kocatepe D 354

24. Berk D 358

25. Peyk D 359

Golden Dawn asks why Turkish warship did not fly Greek flag

Turkish frigate 'Gediz' is seen at the Gölcük Naval Base in Turkey.

Greece's neo-Nazi Golden Dawn party presented its first Parliamentary question, asking why a Turkish warship did not fly the Greek flag during a visit to the port of Piraeus.

Golden Dawn deputies Nikolaus Kuzilos and Yiannis Lagos presented the question to Greek Foreign Minister Dimitris Avramopoulos, Yorgo Kırbaki of daily Hürriyet reported today.

The deputies asked why the Turkish frigate "Gediz" did not fly the Greek flag when it made a port call at Piraeus during a NATO visit on July 10. "Two warships – one French and one German – which were part of the NATO force, both flew the Greek flag when they docked at Piraeus. The Turkish frigate did not follow suit," the question presented by Golden Dawn stated.

Golden Dawn claimed that the incident was covered up to prevent a diplomatic confrontation with Turkey and asked what the Greek Foreign Ministry had done to counter the "provocation" by the Turkish warship. The party also asked "what plans the Greek foreign ministry had prepared to prevent a similar incident from taking place again."

Submariners World has learned that Greece and Turkey share the practice of not flying each others' flags when their warships visit a port belonging to the other country.

Imtech: order for Turkish navy

Gouda, the Netherlands - Royal Imtech N.V, technical services provider in and outside Europe) announces that it has signed a contract for the design and supply of all electric systems to power three Turkish Navy Auxiliary vessels, consisting of one Submarine Rescue Mother Ship (MoShip) and two Rescue and Towing Ships (RATships). All ships will be built by Istanbul Shipyard in Tuzla in Turkey and are scheduled to be delivered to the Turkish Navy by mid of 2015.

Rene van der Bruggen, CEO Imtech: 'Imtech is increasingly active in the Turkish market. In the second half of 2010 we acquired Elkon, specialized in electrical services, automation and alarm, monitoring and control in the Turkish marine market. Combining knowledge and collaboration with existing Imtech competences makes it possible to win new orders, like the new order for the Turkish navy. Recently, we also acquired AE Arma-Elektropanc, active in technical solutions in the Turkish buildings and energy markets. Together with them we are also working on synergy advantages. By this we are able to substantially increase our Turkish activities.'

Broad supply scope

Imtech's Turkish marine business unit Elkon is selected by Istanbul Shipyard to design, supply and commission the complete package of electrical systems. The supply range involves major components of the power generation, power distribution and propulsion systems, as well as an integrated vessel management system including power management and machinery monitoring & control. Electrical engineering and onboard installations, integrated logistic support and ship's engineering room and bridge consoles are also part of the supply scope.

Equipped with modern rescue systems

The MoShip will be capable to provide lifesaving support to a disabled submarine and evacuate the crew. The other two vessels are capable of towing ships as well as firefighting. Both ships will be equipped with modern rescue systems and equipment such as remotely operated underwater vehicle (ROV), atmospheric diving suit (ADS), submarine ventilation system, emergency life support, and pressure chambers. The ships can perform underwater repair works and are specialized in wreck removal through divers, atmospheric diving suits and ROVs and helicopter operations. The mother ship will have the necessary infrastructure for the deployment of the NATO Submarine Rescue Diving and Recompression System (NRDRS). The availability of different rescue concepts provides an opportunity for co-operation with other navies.

Turkey rejected joint inspection into downed jet, Syria says

A vessel from Turkish coast guard takes part in a search and rescue operation after the downing of a Turkish plane by Syria. AA photo

Syrian authorities have said they offered to form a joint military commission to investigate the June 22 downing of a Turkish jet but received no response from Turkey, according to daily Hürriyet.

Syria said they made the offer to conduct a joint investigation at the scene where a Turkish jet crashed after being shot down by Syrian air defense forces on June 22. 

Syrian officials also said they delivered the tail section of the plane to Turkey. Officials reportedly said the tail had bullet marks on it.

Damascus has said it shot down the Turkish plane while it was flying in Syrian airspace at an altitude of 100 meters.

Turkey, however, said the plane was shot down 13 nautical miles off the Syrian coast in international airspace.