1 May 2013 Leave a comment
D-615 FS Jean Bart arriving in Istanbul, on 30 April 2013
After visiting Novorossiysk and Varna, the French destroyer D-615 FS Jean Bart arrived for a 3 day visit.
FS jean Bart is very similar in operational capabilities with her 40 SM-1 MR surface to air missiles fired by the Mk-13 launcher and Smart Mk2 3D radar to the Turkish Navy Gabya class frigates.
She looks old and tired. Her crew must have a hard time in keeping her in good shape.
21 Mar 2013 2 Comments
Bora Class Guided Missile Corvette Samum. Photo: Wikipedia
The Voice Of Russia reported today that a Russian warship will be visiting Istanbul between 7 and 10 May 2013.
The Bora class hoverborne guided missile corvette of the Russian Navy, RFS Bora will be in Istanbul during the IDEF’13, 11th International Defence Industry Fair.
The Bora class corvettes have a very unconventional structure where a large air cushion is placed between a catamaran hull.
This shape provides lift and high speed.
The ship is armed with Moskit anti-ship missiles and short range anti aircraft missiles.
The sensor suit and the armament of this class closely resembles another Russians corvette class Tarantul.
It is the largest military hovercraft unmatched anywhere in the world. With the displacement of 1000 tons, the craft has a cruising speed of 100 kilometers an hour. It is armed with 8 Mosquito missiles which can strike targets on the sea and on land. The hovercraft has 20 anti-aircraft missiles, an artillery complex, a machine-gun and an interference creating device. The hovercraft has an aluminium hull. Though it’s a light craft, its seaworthiness is very high. The hovercraft can be on an autonomous voyage for 10 days. One refueling is enough for 2,500 miles. The complement is 68 men.
I sincerely hope that I may be able to take photos of the strange and interesting vessel.
11 Mar 2013 Leave a comment
F-221 FGS Hessen and A-1442 FSG Spessart in Aksaz. Photo: aksam.com
In the morning hours two German warships will leave the Turkish naval base Aksaz, Marmaris and will head to eastern Mediterranean. The frigate F-221 FGS Hessen and the replenishment ship A-1442 FSG Spessart have arrived in Aksaz naval base on 8th March 2013 for a 3 day port visit.
According to NATO, these two warships make the whole Standing NATO Maritime Group 1 which conducts the Operation Active Endeavour in the eastern Mediterranean.
9 Feb 2013 Leave a comment
Italian aircraft carrier ITS C-550 Cavour in Marmaris. Photos: haber7.com
The Italian aircraft carrier C-550 ITS Cavour arrived in Marmaris as planned, today.
The Italian task force commanded by Rear Admiral Carlo Massagli, consists of carrier ITS C-550 Cavour, destroyer D-554 ITS Calio Dulio and the fleet tanker A-5327 ITS Stromboli.
The destroyer and the tanker have docked at the Aksaz Naval Base adjacent to the touristic town of Marmaris. The highly visible aircraft carrier however docked at the port in Marmaris usually used by large passenger ships.
According to Wikipedia, Cavour was laid down by Fincantieri on 17 July 2001, and she was launched from the RivaTrigoso shipyard in SestriLevante, on 20 July 2004.
The ship is designed to combine fixed wing V/STOL and helicopter air operations, command and control operations and the transport of military or civil personnel and heavy vehicles. The 134 metre, 2,800 m2 hangar space can double as a vehicle hold capable of holding up to 24 main battle tanks or many more lighter vehicles, and is fitted aft with access ramps rated to 70 tons, as well as two elevators rated up to 30 tons for aircraft. Cavour can also operate as Landing Platform Helicopter (LPH), accommodating heavy transport helicopters and 325 marines.
The ship is armed with following weapons:
The Italian ships will stay in Marmaris until 12th February 2013.
Click here for the video of Cavour in Marmaris.
Click here for more photos.
8 Feb 2013 1 Comment
Tomorrow, on 9th February 2013 the Italian aircraft carrier C-550 ITS Cavour will start a port visit in Marmaris, Muğla.
The Andrea Doria class destroyer D-554 ITS Calio Dulio and the fleet tanker A-5327 ITS Stromboli are escorting the aircraft carrier. The destroyer and the tanker are going to dock in Aksaz Naval Base adjacent to the town of Marmaris where as the aircraft carrier will dock to the pier reserved for large passenger ships in Marmaris town where she will be highly visible to everyone.
What’s good is an aircraft carrier if you cannot show off with it? Right.
3 Feb 2013 1 Comment
USS Laboon docking in Kuşadası harbour. Photo: haber7.com
The Arleigh Burke class destroyer DDG-58 USS Laboon arrived in Kuşadası for a 3 day rest and relaxation.
According to news reports additional security measures on land and on sea were taken to provide protection for the ship.
6 Aug 2012 Leave a comment
The PLAN replenishment tanker Weishan Hu.
All warships of the 11th Chinese naval escort task force of the Navy of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) are all present and accounted for.
The activities of the destroyer Quingdao 113 and the frigate Yantai 538 were easier to follow and to report. But the replenishment tanker Weishan Hu 877 was unaccounted for since she entered into the Mediterranean Sea. On Saturday she arrived at Dardanelles and passed it entering to Marmara Sea. She did not passed through the Bosphorus though. She is currently in Istanbul with Quingdau conducting a good will visit. And the frigate Yantai is in Varna.
Weishan Hu can carry 10500 tons fuel, 250 tons of water, 680 tons of ammunition.
Here is a short summary of the activities of PLAN ships since they have entered into the Mediterranean Sea:
| Quingdao | Yantai | Weishan Hu | |
| 23 July | Suez | Suez | Suez |
| 29 July | Dardanelles | Dardanelles | - ? - |
| 30 July | Bosphorus | Bosphorus | - ? - |
| 31 July | Sevastopol | Constanta | - ? - |
| 4 August | Underway | Underway | Dardanelles |
| 5 August | Istanbul | Varna | Istanbul |
22 Jul 2012 7 Comments
USS Abraham Lincoln in Antalya.
The Nimitz class aircraft carrier CVN-72 USS Abraham Lincoln finished her 4 day port visit in Antalya, Turkey and started another sea leg of her return trip to USA.
USS Abraham Lincoln is the flagship for Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 9, which is also comprised of embarked Carrier Air Wing 2, the guided-missile cruiser CG-71 USS Cape St. George, and Destroyer Squadron 9. As far as I know only the aircraft carrier was in Antalya and her escorts were somewhere else.
Antalya is one of the popular touristic destinations in Turkey and the huge silhouette of the carrier created some interesting photos
According to SeaWaves Magazine, the ship departed its homeport of Everett, Washington, 7th December 2011, for a deployment to the U.S. 5th and 7th Fleet AORs. Following the port visit in s Antalya, USS Abraham Lincoln will head for her new homeport of Norfolk, Va., where the ship will undergo a four-year periodic refueling complex overhaul.
Click here for more photos of USS Abraham Lincoln in Antalya.
17 Jun 2012 1 Comment
T-ARS-51 USNS Grasp in Istanbul. Photo: Akıncı. Used with permission.
The Safeguard class salvage ship of the US Military Sealift Command T-ARS-51 USNS Grasp was in Istanbul last week for a short port visit.
USNS Grasp and her sisters were constructed for US Navy in 1980′ies to be used for rescue and salvage operations throughout the world. The class was transferred to the MSC in 2006.
24 May 2012 Leave a comment
Two ships of Turkish Navy A-1600 TCG Iskenderun and A-579 TCG Cezayirli Gazi Hasan Paşa, have finished their port visit to Novorossiysk, Russia.
The ships are on an open sea training cruises for the freshman of the Naval Petty Officer Training School, to prepare the future mariners for their duties. The cruise will end on 3rd June 2012.
According to Rusnavy.com:
Turkish Navy task unit consisting of training ships Iskenderun and Cezayirli Gazi Hasan Paşa called at Russian port Novorossiysk paying formal visit. About 500 naval cadets are on board the Turkish ships.
Purpose of the visit is strengthening of military cooperation between the two countries and exchange of naval training experience.
The task unit is headed by Capt Serdar Gundoglu. Solemn meeting ceremony took place at Novorossiysk seaport. Ladies dressed in Russian national costumes presented traditional bread and salt to the foreign guests.
Later on, a regular moorage security meeting was held on board Turkish ship Iskenderun. The meeting was attended by representatives of local police, harbor security service, and Novorossiysk Naval Base command.
Today the guests paid courtesy visits to Novorossiysk Mayor Vladimir Sinyagovsky and Novorossiysk Naval Base Commander (senior naval officer) Capt 1 Rank Sergei Pinchuk, and visited museum cruiser Mikhail Kutuzov.
When staying in Novorossiysk, Turkish naval cadets will attend the wreath-laying ceremony at the Square of Heroes and visit navigation training center of Novorossiysk State Maritime Academy. It is also planned to hold sport competitions in soccer, volleyball and basketball between Russian and Turkish mariners.
