30 Jul 2013 8 Comments
I have just received my complimentary copy of this years Jane’s fighting Ships.
I am glad to see that most of the photos,I have shared through this blog are also found their place in this extraordinary book too.
Every year since 1991, I feel the same excitement and joy when hold that years edition for the first time.
19 Jun 2013 3 Comments
Today I have received my complimentary copy of IHS Jane’s C4ISR & Mission Systems reference book. So you know what I will be reading for the bedtime.
14 Dec 2012
The Turkish defence magazine Defence And Aerospace run two photos that I have taken, in their last issue. Both photos show the newly installed VLS on the Gabya (ex Perry) class frigates. The magazine is about to hit the newsstands soon.
29 Nov 2012 2 Comments
Don’t forget to buy the January 2013 Issue of Warships International Fleet Review. I am on the cover. Mr. Guy Toremans did the interview with the CO of F-511 TCG Heybeliada and toured the ship.
23 Sep 2012
Q42, one of the 3 MRTP 16 class interceptors Yonca Onuk Shipyard is building for Qatar Naval Forces, escorted by one MRTP 19 class boat of Turkish Coast Guard.
During the Dimdex 2012 maritime defence exhibition in Qatar, it was announced that the Turkish shipyard Yonca Onuk has signed a contract with Qatar Armed Forces. According to the contract Turkish shipyard is building 3 MRTP 16 class interceptors and 3 MRTP 34 class fast patrol boats for the Qatar Naval Forces. This is the second contract Yonca Onuk has signed in the Gulf Region. Their first customer was the United Arab Emirates for 34 boats.
These are probably the first photos of the MRTP 16 class taken. The craft is not armed but there is a platform just at the aft end of the cabin where a remotely controlled stabilized gun mount can be installed.
Q42, one of the 3 MRTP 16 class interceptors Yonca Onuk Shipyard is building for Qatar Naval Forces.
Q42 from a different angle.
SG-23 TCSG 23. Turkish Coast Guard’s Kaan 19 class boat escorting the Qatari craft.
19 Sep 2012 3 Comments
Russian submarine Alrosa passing through Bosphorus.
It was like a scene from the old cold war comedy “The Russians are coming, the Russians are coming“. You don’t see an active duty Russian submarine passing through your neighborhood everyday. So it was a big day for me.
The Kilo class Russian diesel – electric submarine Alrosa came from the Marmara Sea and passed by the Topkapı Place and entered into the Bosphorus. She is on her way to her homeport Sevastopol.
Alrosa departed the Baltic town of Kronstadt in late August where she was laid up for scheduled overhaul since July 2011.
In November 2011 during training she suffered serious engine problem and had to be towed back to Sevastopol. She was repaired and later took part in NATO’s largest submarine rescue exercise Bold Monarc 2011 off the coast of Spain.
Alrosa (originally Varshavyanka), a Kilo-class Project 877 diesel submarine, entered service in December 1990. It was renamed Alrosa in 2004 after it was “adopted” by Russia’s largest diamond company of the same name. She is the only submarine in active service with the Russian Black Sea Fleet.
Russian submarine Alrosa passing through Bosphorus.
Russian submarine Alrosa passing through Bosphorus.
2 Sep 2012 3 Comments
On 30th August 2012 for the Victory Day celebrations two warships F-245 TCG Oruçreis and F-511 TCG Heybeliada made a port visit in Istanbul. Both ships were open to the public and I had the opportunity and privilege to visit the first ship of the Milgem class corvettes, TCG Heybeliada.
The visitors were not allowed to take photos on board thus I have no photo from the interior of the ship.
F-511 TCG Heybeliada, the first ship of the Milgem class corvettes
F-511 TCG Heybeliada, the first ship of the Milgem class corvettes
F-511 TCG Heybeliada, the first ship of the Milgem class corvettes
From left to right: RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM) launcher, ASELFlir 300, 12.7 mm Aselsan STAMP Stabilized Machine Gun Platform, Sea Sentor Surface Ship Torpedo Defense launcher.
From left to right: RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM) launcher, ASELFlir 300, 12.7 mm Aselsan STAMP Stabilized Machine Gun Platform, Sea Sentor Surface Ship Torpedo Defense launcher. Two laser warning receivers are also visible.
From left to right: Sea Sentor Surface Ship Torpedo Defense launcher and the panel that hides the RGM-84 Harpoon missiles.
SMART-S Mk2 3D radar and ARES-2N EW antennas
The bridge and the STING EO Mk2.
Oto Melera 76mm gun in a stealth housing.
AselFLIR 300, optical director
Sea Sentor ship torpedo defense launcher and one laser warning receiver
6 Aug 2012
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 |
30 Jul 2012 3 Comments
I love how it feels when the things turn out more or less as the way you have planned. Since I first heard yesterday, that two PLAN warships passed through the Dardanelles and are heading for the Black Sea I was thinking in my head How I could intercept them at a suitable point in Istanbul with a good light. As the photos below will testify I was able to realize my plans.
Japanese and South Korean warship do regularly visit Istanbul, but we do not see many Chinese warships in the part of the world. This is the first time I am seeing any Chine warships in my long career of ship spotting and photographing.
And there are three of them. These two are in the Black Sea and according to the news there is a third one some where in the Eastern Med.
I would appreciate it if someone could tell me A) where these two are heading and B) the name of the third one in the Med.
The Ludu (Type 052A) class destroyer 113 Qingdao of PLAN passing through Bosphorus
The Jingkai II (Type 054A) class frigate 538 Yantai of PLAN with Topkapı Palace and Hagia Sophia in the background.
Click here and here for the activities of the PLAN ships in the Black Sea.
13 Mar 2012 2 Comments
Today I was reading one of the hacked e-mails from the private US intelligence company Stratfor. Last year in December a hacker collective known as Anonymous claimed responsibility for crashing the Web site of the Stratfor Global Intelligence Service. The hacker declared that they have obtained the full client list including their credit cards information, as well as over 200 GB of email correspondence.
Since the beginning of March these e-mails are being published by Wikileaks and other associated websites. So of these e-mail especially those about Turkey and Turkish politics found a large audience in Turkish media.
While I was reading this particular e-mail with the subject line “Re: Discussion – Turkey/MIL – The Turkish Navy” dated “Jul 2, 2009 20:01” with Email ID 982788, I have realized that one of the indicated sources in the attached word file and used for the basis of the analyses was my own blog.
My blog post on the acquisition plans of 2 three masted schooner type training ships was one of the referred sources. I was delighted to see that Stratfor used my postings as a source for their work but I was also saddened that I have been largely misinterpreted by the Stratfor analyst.
Well, read the Stratfor mail and my blog post and decide for yourself.
turkishnavy.net 