NATO SNMCMG-2 In Batumi And In Piraeus

5 Nov 2017 1 Comment

Bulgarian minesweeper Shakval is one of the ship visiting Batumi. This photo was taken in February 2016 during her visit with SNMCMG-2 in Istanbul.

A part of the UK led NATO mine warfare task force Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group 2 arrived in Batumi Georgia on 3rd November for a port visit.

The NATO delegation led by Vice Admiral Bléjean, the Deputy Commander of the Allied Maritime Command (MARCOM) held meeting with Minister of Internal Affairs of Georgia, Mr. Giorgi Mgebrishvili. According to official statements, the sides discussed issues of bilateral relations between NATO and Georgia in the maritime field and cooperation enhancement matters. Special emphasis was made on the participation of the Georgian Joint Maritime Operations Center (JMOC) in NATO-led operation – “Sea Guardian” which is aimed at ensuring safety in the Mediterranean Sea and nearby maritime space.

Since Georgia does not operate warships with enough range and endurance to actually deploy to Operation Sea Guardian, the participation of the Georgian JMOC is the only possible way for this country.

The SNMCMG-2 is spilled in two parts. One part, consisting of frigate ROS Regele Ferdinand, mine hunter ROS Lupu Dinescu from Romania, minesweeper BGS Shakval from Bulgaria and mine hunter TCG Edremit from Turkey is visiting Batumi. The second part, consisting of HMS Enterprise, HMS Pembroke, and ITS Crotone is in Piraeus Greece.

 

 

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Chinese Warships Visited Istanbul

25 Jul 2017 2 Comments

Type 054A frigate 532 Jingzhou (left) and Type 052C destroyer 150 Changchun docked to Istanbul Sarayburnu quay.

Type 093 replenishment tanker 890 Chaohu

Between 18 and 21 July 2017 a task force of 3 Chinese warship made a visit to Istanbul

Task Group 150 consisting of Type 052C destroyer 150 Changchun, Type 054A frigate 532 Jingzhou and Type 093 replenishment tanker 890 Chaohu have left China on 23 April 2017, on the 68th anniversary of the founding of the PLAN, for a goodwill voyage to some 20 countries in Asia, Europe, Africa and Oceania.

The task force headed by Admiral Miao Hua were welcomed by Chinese Military Attaché to Ankara Zheng Qinli, Consul General to Istanbul Qian Bo and a group of Chinese citizens.

This year’s visit was very similar to the previous PLAN visit to Istanbul in 2012 and 2015. In both cases the PLAN fleet was made of one destroyer, one frigate and one replenishment ship.

In 2012 and in 2015 however the destroyer and the frigate have passed through the Bosphorus and entered the Black Sea. This year the ships stayed in Istanbul and have not transit through the Strait northbound. The PLAN task force spend 4 days in Istanbul and left for the Mediterranean.

Here are some close up photos of the destroyer Changhun:

And here are some close up photos of the frigate Jingzhou:

Filed under Bosphorus, Port Visit, Sighting Tagged with , , , , , ,

Turkish Navy Conducting Simultaneous Port Visits In 5 Countries

4 Apr 2017 2 Comments

TCG Oruçreis arrives in Varna. Photo: Nikolay Zlatev.

10 Turkish warships are conducting port visits in 5 different ports, in 5 different countries.

The long needed rest came after the end of the first phase of naval exercise Deniz Yıldızı 2017. The exercise has started on 27 March and will end on 7 April.

Of course the small size of the Black Sea helps. But Turkey is the only Black Sea nation that can perform such a diplomatic show of force. It is not a small event to do port visits in 5 different nations at the same time.

This is the list of the ships doing port visits. Most of them  will be open for public to visit.

Name Type Port Country
TCG Oruçreis Frigate Varna Bulgaria
TCG Tuzla Patrol Boat Varna Bulgaria
TCG Kalkan Fast Attack Craft Batumi Georgia
TCG Yıldırım Frigate Batumi Georgia
TCG Turgutreis Frigate Constanta Romania
TCG Yıldız Fast Attack Craft Constanta Romania
TCG Büyükada Corvette Novorossiysk Russia
TCG Barbaros Frigate Novorossiysk Russia
TCG Heybeliada Corvette Odessa Ukraine
TCG Gaziantep Frigate Odessa Ukraine

Filed under Black Sea, Turkish Navy Tagged with , , , , , , , ,

TCG 1. İnönü In Durrës

3 Apr 2017 1 Comment

TCG 1. İnönü in Durres port. Photo: Durres Lajm

It is not usual for submarines to make port visit in foreign countries.  TCG 1. İnönü visited the Albanian port Durrës between 30 March and 1 April 2017.

According to Albanian press:

Her visit to our country made in the framework of strengthening relations between the navies of the two countries and NATO operations. The submarine is about 62 m long and has a total carrying capacity of our 1456. It is equipped with eight torpedo visible, and other military equipment, the number of which has been withheld for military reasons.

It is engaged in the protection of Turkish national security and in the framework of the activities of NATO forces in support of global peace and security. The submarine, the Turkish production in 2008, has a crew of 45 soldiers of various ranks. After entering the port, command of the submarine crew and officers are expected in separate meetings with the mayor of Durres Vangjush Dako and then by the Prefecture of Durres Roland Xhelili.

It is interesting to note that Turkish submarines regularly visit Durrës. As far as I know, the following  Turkish submarines were in Durrës:

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Deniz Yıldızı 2017 Naval Exercise Has Started

29 Mar 2017 3 Comments

The hull of ex USS Duncan will be on the receiving end of at least one UGM-84 Sub Harpoon missile or one Tigerfish torpedo.

The annual naval exercise Deniz Yıldızı has started in Black Sea on Monday. The exercise will end on, 7th April 2016.

The scope of the exercise indicates, Turkish Navy’s intentions showing a strong presence in the Black Sea.

For me, the most noteworthy aspect of this exercise, will be the simultaneous port visits of Turkish naval units in Varna, Constanta, Odessa, Novorossiysk and Batumi. All Black Sea nations, will be visited on the next week-end on 3rd and 4th April 2017. This is an impressive way of showing the flag, an important message.

According to Turkish General Staff website, there will be a Harpoon Block II test firing, from a ship to a land based target. This is going to be a first for Turkish Navy.

Furthermore one live UGM-84 Sub Harpoon missile and one live Mk-24 Tigerfish torpedo will be tested too. Ex USS Duncan that was towed last week, will likely be on the receiving end at least one of them.

The following ships along with submarines were observed making a northbound passage through Bosphorus in the last couple days:

Number Name Type
A-595 TCG Yarbay Kudret Güngör Tanker
A-XXX TCG XXX Tanker
A-XXX TCG XXX Tanker
F-240 TCG Yavuz Frigate
F-241 TCG Turgutreis Frigate
F-242 TCG Fatih Frigate
F-243 TCG Yıldırım Frigate
F-244 TCG Barbaros Frigate
F-245 TCG Oruçreis Frigate
F-247 TCG Kemalreis Frigate
F-490 TCG Gaziantep Frigate
F-494 TCG Gökçeada Frigate
F-496 TCG Gökova Frigate
F-505 TCG Bafra Corvette
F-511 TCG Heybeliada Corvette
F-512 TCG Büyükada Corvette
M-260 TCG Edincik Mine hunter
M-263 TCG Erdek Mine hunter
NL-125 TCG Osmangazi Landing ship
P-1200 TCG Tuzla Patrol Boat
P-12XX TCG XXX Patrol Boat
P-330 TCG Kılıç Fast Attack Craft
P-331 TCG Kalkan Fast Attack Craft
P-335 TCG İmbat Fast Attack Craft
P-336 TCG Zıpkın Fast Attack Craft
P-341 TCG Martı Fast Attack Craft
P-348 TCG Yıldız Fast Attack Craft
S-349 TCG Batıray Submarine
S-353 TCG Preveze Submarine
S-358 TCG Çanakkale Submarine
S-3XX TCG XXX Submarine

Filed under Black Sea, Turkish Navy Tagged with , , ,

Standing NATO Mine Counter Measures Group Two In Istanbul

26 Mar 2017

The Standing NATO Mine Counter Measures Group Two arrived in Istanbul on 24 March 2017. The task group had made her northbound passage through the city 20 days before.

During this 20 days the task force first took part in Poseidon 2017. The mine warfare exercise was held between 5 and 15 March 2017.

After the completion of the exercise the task force sailed to Odessa, Ukraine. There the ship were open to public and received thousands of visitors during their stay there.

One day short of their allowance by the Montreux Convention the Task force sailed southbound through Istanbul Strait and docked in Istanbul port for a well-earned post visit.

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TCG Gelibolu Visited Oman

4 Mar 2017 2 Comments

Turkish frigate TCG Gelibolu in Marmara Sea. 14 September 2008

Turkish frigate TCG Gelibolu in Marmara Sea. 14 September 2008

Last week TCG Gelibolu made a courtesy visit to Oman. The ship is deployed to Gulf of Aden. Before arriving in Oman the ship was in Pakistan and took part in the naval exercise AMAN 2017. After the port visit TCG Gelibolu joined CTF-151 to support it in anti piracy operations.

A reception was held on board the vessel with the participation of officials from the Royal Army of Oman, Royal Navy of Oman and embassies.

Speaking at the event, H E Atilay Ersan, Ambassador of Turkey to Oman said, “I am deeply honoured and privileged to welcome you onboard the Turkish frigate TCG Gelibolu on the occasion of its port visit to Muscat. Gelibolu is one of the towns of Çanakkale, a city where I come from.
…
“Turkey and Oman are enjoying friendly relations of more than five centuries in every field.

“And I must confess that we are improving our cooperation satisfactorily in the area of defence as well. In this regard, I would like to express my sincere thanks to His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said and his government for the goodwill and support shown in every field.”

Well the good relations between Turkey and Oman, have not prevented HM Sultan Qaboos to donate a warship to Greek Cypriots in February, just before the visit of TCG Gelibolu. The donated warship is neither new nor sufficiently armed but as a gesture that speaks in volumes.

In my humble opinion Turkey should have canceled the visit of TCG Gelibolu to clearly demonstrate its displeasure with Sultan Nightmare. Since Turkish frigate visited Oman this either means Turkey doesn’t care about the warship that Greek Cypriots got or we don’t care what Sultan Nightmare does. Or worse, we stuck our head under the earth like an ostrich and hope for the best.

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SNMG-2 Ships Arrived In Samsun

16 Feb 2017 1 Comment

NATO SAVAŞ GEMİLERİ SAMSUN’DA NATO'YA AİT İKİ SAVAŞ GEMİSİ SAMSUN LİMANI'NA DEMİR ATTI

HMCS St. John’s in Samsun harbour. Photo: samsunkenthaber.com

Today, Spanish frigate ESPS Almirante Juan De Borbon and Canadian frigate HMCS St. John’s constituting, Standing NATO Martime Group 2, Task Unit 2 arrived in Samsun, Turkey.

The ships  will stay in Samsun for 3 days. They have left Varna, Bulgaria on last Monday with the Bulgarian warship Reshitelni and spend the rest of the week cruising the Black Sea.

The ships have sailed to the Black Sea on 31st January and can stay only 21 days in the region. This means that the ships must make their southbound passage through Bosphorus in the next four days.

 

 

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Brazilian Frigate Liberal In Mersin

12 Feb 2017

liberal

A photo from the reception on board of frigate Liberal. From left to right: Brazilian military attaché, Governor of Mersin, Brazilian Ambassador, Mayor of Mersin, Commander of Meditreeanean Area Command; Commander of MTF-UNIFIL. Photo: Sözcü

The Niterói class frigate F-43 BRS Liberal arrived in Mersin, Turkey, for a 3 day port visit.

The ship joined the Maritime Task Force of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (MTF-UNIFIL) in early September. This is her first port visit in Mersin.

There was a reception on board of frigate.

 

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The Flagship Of SNMG-2 Is In Izmir

14 Jan 2017 2 Comments

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FGS Sachsen in Izmir. Photo: Oktay Cömert. Used with permission.

The flagship of Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 (SNMG-2) FGS Sachsen is in Izmir for a liberty call.

The German Navy took over the lead of SNMG-2 in 22. December 2016 and frigate FGS Sachsen has replaced Dutch warship HNLMS De Ruyter as the flagship of the task force.

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FGS Sachsen in Izmir. Photo: Oktay Cömert. Used with permission.

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FGS Sachsen in Izmir. Photo: Oktay Cömert. Used with permission.

 

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