Aselsan and Havelsan, Turkish defense companies, will upgrade the navy’s Barbaros-class frigates. Turkey’s biggest defense company Aselsan,, and military software company Havelsan will perform half life-cycle full modernization work on the frigates.
Aselsan said in a statement it sent to the Istanbul Stock Exchange that its share of the work was worth €175 million plus TL 457 million. Havelsan did not disclose its share of the work. Aselsan said the modernization work would be completed by 2025.
The Turkish Navy operates four Barbaros-class multipurpose frigates. Two warships were built by the Blohm + Voss shipyard in Hamburg, Germany, and the remaining two were constructed by the Golcuk Naval Shipyard in Turkey with German technological know-how. The keel for the first ship in class, TCG Barbaros (F-244), was laid in April 1992. The vessel was launched in September 1993 and entered service in March 1995.
TCG Orucreis (F-245) was laid in July 1992, launched in July 1994 and entered service in May 1996. TCG Salihreis (F-246) was laid in March 1995, launched in September 1997 and entered service in December 1998. Turkey laid the last ship in the Barbaros class, TCG Kemalreis (F-247), in December 1996 and launched in July 1998. It entered service in June 2000.
