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Turkish Navy Conducted The Second SINKEX In 2018

21 Oct 2018

The Turkish Navy conducted another sinking exercise SINKEX last week on 17th October. This is the second SINKEX Turkish Navy has conducted in 2018 and the third, in the last 12 months.

This exercise was not previously announced. But it was anticipated since the decommissioned navy tanker ex- TCG Taşkızak was observed being towed to the Black Sea on 16th October 2018. The previous sinking exercises were also conducted in the Black Sea. The tanker sunk in 5 minutes 36 seconds after the impact of the torpedo.

This yet unidentified Ay class submarine seen here sailing southbound through
Istanbul on 19th October 2018 was most probably the submarine that fired the torpedo that sunk the ex- TCG Taşkızak during the SINEX.

The short video of the exercise, shows an unguided torpedo being fired from an Ay class submarine. The torpedo seems shorter than contemporary modern torpedos and does not have a guidance wire. Therefore I believe it was an Mk-37 torpedo.

Filed under Black Sea, Exercise, Turkish Navy Tagged with Black Sea, Sinkex, Submarines, Turkish Navy

Turkish Navy Conducts Another SINKEX

14 Jun 2018 2 Comments

Turkish Navy disposed of another decommissioned warship by sending it to the Davy Jones’ Locker with a big bang.

Ay class submarine TCG Yıldıray commissioned in service in 1981, sunk the decommissioned tanker TCG Sadettin Gürcan. She was decommissioned in November 2016, after 46 years of service.

The ship was named after Lieutenant Commander Sadettin Gürcan the commander of the submarine TCG Atılay. This submarine was lost with all hands in July 1942 as she hit submerged an old naval mine from First World War off Dardanelles Strait.

The decommissioned tanker was observed being towed towards to the Black Sea in February 2018. She had markings painted on her bow were consistent with previous targets towed to the Black Sea.

According to unconfirmed reports, the torpedo fires from TCG Yıldıray was an SST-4 Mod 0.

Just 8 months ago, in October 2017 Turkish Navy conducted another SINKEX in the Black Sea. In that exercise, the Oliver Hazard Perry-class hull, ex-USS Duncan was sunk by an Mk-24 Mod. 2 Tigerfish torpedo.

On 11th June 2018, two Ay class submarines were observed sailing towards the Black Sea. One of them is TCG Yıldıray. Unfortunately, I am not in a position to tell you which is which but here are the photos of the two submarines:

Filed under Black Sea, Exercise, Turkish Navy Tagged with Black Sea, Exercise, Sinkex, Submarines, Turkish Navy

Like A Lamb to The Slaughter

9 Feb 2018 3 Comments

On 8th February 2018, three Turkish Navy tugs towed the hulk of an old tanker ex- TCG Bnb. Sadettin Gürcan to the Black Sea.

The tanker was named after the commander of the submarine TCG Atılay that sunk with all hands in 1942. She hit a mine while submerged and never resurfaced.

The tanker was laid down at Gölcük Naval Shipyard in 1968 and commissioned in 1970. She served till 2016.

As there are no shipbreakers in the Black Sea and the markings on the hull of ex- TCG Bnb. Sadettin Gürcan is consistent with a target, she will be used in a sinking exercise.

Filed under Bosphorus, Turkish Navy Tagged with Black Sea, Exercise, Sinkex, Turkish Navy

The Sinking Of Ex-USS Duncan

6 Oct 2017 2 Comments

A Mk-24 Mod. 2 Tigerfish hits ex-USS Duncan. Photo: Turkish Naval Forces.

Ex-US Navy frigate Duncan has found her watery grave after all.

She was bought from US Navy as a spare part source for the 8 existing Gabya class frigates in service, a procedure also known as cannibalization.

The hull of Duncan was observed being towed through Istanbul towards the Black Sea on 22nd March 2017.

At that time, it was speculated that she would be sunk as a target during the coming naval exercise Deniz Yıldızı as the markings on the hull left nothing to the imagination. She somehow survived the exercise that was held between 29th March and 9th April.

According to Turkish Navy, ex-USS Duncan was sunk in the Black Sea on 4th October 2017, by a Mk-24 Mod. 2 Tigerfish torpedo, fired from TCG Sakarya, a Preveze class submarine.

Filed under Black Sea, Exercise, Turkish Navy Tagged with Black Sea, Exercise, Sinkex, Submarines, Turkish Navy

The First And Final Passage Of Ex USS Duncan Through Bosphorus

26 Mar 2017 7 Comments

3 navy tugs are pulling the hull of ex USS Duncan against the current towards Black Sea. Just a shell of the former frigate is left.

The effects of cannibalization can be better seen in this photo.

Perry class frigate USS Duncan was the first ship of this class to be decommissioned active service. She was striken from US Navy service on 5 January 1998. In May 1999 she was sold to Turkish Navy. She has never entered in to service therefore she doesn’t have a Turkish name. She was used as spare part source, to keep other ship working. This practice is lovingly called cannibalization. And you can see the effects of it on the hull of USS Duncan in above photos.

TCG İnebolu, TCG Özgür and TCG Darıca, three Turkish Navy tugs, towed the hull of ex USS Duncan through Istanbul northbound, on 22 March 2017. Since there are no scrap yards along the Black Sea coast of Turkey, this journey is not going to end at one scrapyard.

The markings on the hull of the former frigate are consistent with a live firing test. A few days after the passage of ex USS Duncan it was announced that she was going to be used as a target during the Deniz Yıldızı annual naval exercise.

Filed under Bosphorus, Sighting, Turkish Navy Tagged with Black Sea, Exercise, Gabya, Sinkex, Turkish Navy

The Sinking Of Ex TCG Zafer

2 Jun 2016 2 Comments

Turkish Navy concluded Beyaz Fırtına (White Storm) 2016 Naval exercise on 28 May 2016. During this exercise the hull of the decommissioned Knox class frigate ex USS Thomas C. Hart and ex TCG Zafer was used as a target. The torpedo is believed to be DM2A4

Ex TCG Zafer being towed in Çanakkale Strait on 30 April 2016. Photo: Murad Sezer. I thought that the she was being towed to the ship breakers in Aliağa. But her fate was different.

These are official Turkish Navy photos taken from a helicopter during the sinking of ex- TCG Zafer. The shape of the hull is not much different compared to the photo taken in Çanakkale. This indicates that she was not hit by any other weapons or missiles. This photo shows the initial explosion of a torpedo warhead under the keel of the ship. The force of the explosion lifts the ship up.