The Mediterranean Cruise of TCG Heybeliada

16 Jun 2013 1 Comment

hebeliada_orphan

The children from an Egyptian orphanage visit Turkish warship TCG Heybeliada. Photo: Turkish General Consulate in Alexandria

The first indigenous warship of Turkish Navy, the Ada class F-511 TCG Heybeliada will arrive in Tripoli, Libya tomorrow for an official visit.

Turkish Navy did not shared the duration of the port visit but there will be a press conference on board on Monday. In 2010 Turkish Navy organised a task force of four frigates and one support ships and made a two months cruise in the Mediterranean.

The cruise of TCG Heybeliada is a good example how to use the soft power of a navy. 

Further Reading:
TCG Heybeliada Starts Her Mediterranean Tour

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TCG Gemlik in Sri Lanka

5 Sep 2011 1 Comment

F-492 TCG Gemlik arriving in Colombo Sri Lanka. Official Sri Lanka Navy Photo.

While the tension rises in the Eastern Mediterranean, the lone frigate F-492 TCG Gemlik is continuing her goodwill visits in the Indian Ocean.

The remaining ship of the Turkish Navy Task Group, she arrived in Colombo on 5th September 2011. Sri Lanka Navy ceremonially welcomed them in accordance with naval traditions. The purpose of the visit is to strengthen friendly ties between the two Navies.

According to Sri Lanka Navy website TCG Gemlik will remain at port of Colombo till 08th September 2011 and its crew will participate in special programs organized by the Sri Lanka Navy to promote goodwill and cooperation between the two Navies.

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Turkish Navy Task Group Returned Home

12 Aug 2011

TCG Barbaros and TCG Gelibolu mooring at Aksaz Naval Base. Official Turkish Navy Photo.

On Monday 8th August 2011, the Turkish Navy Task Group minus the frigate F-492 TCG Gemlik returned to Aksaz Naval Base, Marmaris as planned.

The Task Group spend the last 70 days in Indian Ocean providing naval escort for Turkish and non-Turkish flagged vessels in the Gulf of Aden and conducted anti-piracy escorts in designated segments on the internationally recommended transit corridor (IRTC)

Besides the anti-piracy operations, TMTG will also visited ports in Oman, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Pakistan, India, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and conducted passage exercises with these countries and other multinational force in the area.

Click here to read earlier news about the task group.

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TCG Giresun Returned Home

18 Jun 2011

The frigate F-491 TCG Giresun, Turkish contribution to NATO’s SNMG-2  has completed its anti-piracy mission with this task force, off Somalia and returned to Turkey, Turkish Naval Forces Command said in a statement on Wednesday.

The frigate docked at the Aksaz Naval Base in Marmaris after a 151-day mission.

During its mission off Somalia, TCG Giresun captured a total of 26 Somali pirates. The crew of the frigate boarded M/T Guanabara and M/V Full City when they were attacked by pirates. She also saved as Yemeni fishing boat, captured by the pirates and used as mother ship.

The Turkish Naval Task Force is the current Turkish anti piracy force in the region. Click here to read about the acts of TCG Giresun in Gulf Of Aden.


 

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Turkish Naval Task Group In Oman

15 Jun 2011

According to Times of Oman, Turkish Naval Task Force will dock at the Sultan Qaboos Port in Muscat on 19 June 2011.

TNTF will conduct joint exercises with their Omani counterparts.  During the visit which will last till 22 June,  TCG Gelibolu will host a press day.

The warships coming here are TCG Yarbay Kudret Güngör, TCG Barbaros, TCG Gelibolu, and TCG Gemlik, a communiqué issued yesterday by the Turkish embassy in the Sultanate said. 

The TMTG exercise will become an annual affair hereafter, and the grand objective is to support the ongoing United Nations (UN) and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (Nato) operations worldwide, and ensuring maritime security. 

Given the threats to global security, especially maritime security, Turkey’s drive assumes greater significance. 

The move also aims at showcasing Turkish Navy’s capability to deploy frigates for prolonged periods, while promoting security at the seas and contributing to world peace. 

This year, TMTG will be supporting the ongoing counter-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden, Somali basin, and other areas, while contributing its bit to Nato and other multi-national efforts. In a bid to boost the anti-piracy efforts, TMTG will be providing naval escorts to Turkish and non-Turkish flagged vessels passing through the Gulf of Aden. 

The larger objective is to facilitate international efforts at providing protection to merchant vessels transiting the Gulf of Aden. TMTG, whose operational control is exercised by Turkish Navy Command HQ, consists of a logistic supply ship, aside from the four frigates, and is commanded by a rear admiral. 

H/T: Dave Shirlaw.

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Turkish Navy Task Force Departed For Indian Ocean

1 Jun 2011 3 Comments

On 30 May the Turkish Naval Task Force left Aksaz Naval Base in Marmaris for a 70 day deployment in the Indian Ocean.
The task force is composed of F-244 TCG Barbaros as flagship, F-492 TCG Gemlik, F-493 TCG Gelibolu and A-595 TCG Yarbay Kudret Güngör. Another Turkish frigate F-491 TCG Giresun is already in the region as part of NATO’s SNMG-2 Task Group but she will not take part in the national task force.

During their deployment the task force will provide security for 8 convoys in the IRTC and patrol some troubled waters. Furthermore the task force will visit 8 cities in 8 countries. The task force will conduct low-key naval exercises such as PASSEX with their host navies.

The commander of the task force is Rear Admiral Sinan Ertuğrul. He is not a stranger to the region. He was at the helm of the CTF-151 for 3 months in 2010. This will be his second task force command in the same region.

In 2010 Turkish Navy announced that it has created a temporary task force with the aim of promoting peace and international security through maritime security, creating situational awareness, showing the flag and maintaining maritime presence in areas of interest, executing exercises and training with countries in the region, performing port visit to improve bilateral relations. Last years task force sailed through the Mediterranean.

You can read my posts on the previous Turkish Navy Task Force here.

The schedule for this years seems to be a busy one:

Date
Action
Location
Participants
30/05/11 Departure Aksaz All
06/06/11 Convoy Protection (Eastward) Golf of Aden 2 Frigates
08/06/11 Convoy Protection (Westward) Golf of Aden 2 Frigates
08/06/11 Patrol (7 Days) Golf of Aden 1 Frigate 1 Tanker
10/06/11 Convoy Protection (Eastward) Golf of Aden 2 Frigates
12/06/11 Convoy Protection (Westward) Golf of Aden 2 Frigates
14/06/11 Convoy Protection (Eastward) Golf of Aden 2 Frigates
19/06/11 Port visit Muscat All
22/06/11 Replenishment Abu Dhabi 1 Frigate 1 Tanker
23/06/11 Port visit Doha All
01/07/11 Port visit Karachi All
07/07/11 Port visit Mumbai All
15/07/11 Convoy Protection (Westward) Golf of Aden 2 Frigates 1 Tanker
17/07/11 Convoy Protection (Eastward) Golf of Aden 2 Frigates 1 Tanker
19/07/11 Convoy Protection (Westward) Golf of Aden 2 Frigates 1 Tanker
21/07/11 Patrol (4 Days) Al Hudeyde 1 Frigate
21/07/11 Patrol (5 Days) Aqaba 1 Frigate
26/07/11 Port visit Al Hudeyde 1 Frigate
26/07/11 Port visit Jeddah 1 Frigate 1 Tanker
29/07/11 Port visit Aqaba 1 Frigate
02/08/11 Operation Active Endevour Mediterrean All
08/08/11 Arrival Aksaz All

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>Turkish Contribution To NATO Operations Off Libya Takes Shape

24 Mar 2011 1 Comment

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F-243 TCG Yıldırım. Here in Çanakkale on 18 March 2011, soon
off the coast of Libya.

Turkish contribution to NATO enforced maritime embargo to Libya takes shape.

Yesterday, on 23 March it was announced that Turkey would send 4 frigates, one replenishment tanker and one submarine to the NATO task force off the coast of Libya. According to news reports this intention was officially declared to NATO in writing.

Today Turkish Parliament will discus about sending warships to Libya and will vote on the subject. I expect that the motion will be accepted by majority.

The following ships are selected for the NATO Task Force:

Pennant
Ship
Type
Location/Status
A-580 TCG Akar Tanker In Transit to Libya
F-243 TCG Yıldırım Frigate In Transit to Libya
F-… TCG …x Frigate In Transit to Libya
F-491 TCG Giresun Frigate Off Libya
F-492 TCG Gemlik Frigate Off Libya
S-350 TCG Yıldıray submarine Not Avaliable
Bosphorus Naval News

It turns out that creating a Turkish Naval Task Force and sending it on a cruise in Mediterranean during last summer, was a very good  exercise. I am sure the lessons learned from that cruise will be used for the planing of the current operations.

Hat Tipp: A very good friend of mine: Arda Mevlutoğlu.

Filed under Mediterranean, NATO Tagged with , , ,

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