The Ada class is a class of anti-submarine warfare corvettes developed primarily for the Turkish Navy during the first stage of the MILGEM project. The Turkish Navy has commissioned all four Ada-class corvettes.
The SIGINT ship and s are variants of the Ada-class corvette that use the same hull and superstructure design but feature different types of systems, armament and equipment.
Development The Ada class was engineered for the purpose of building a national corvette with anti-submarine warfare and high-seas patrol capabilities, while using the principles of low observability in its materials and design.Patrol and Anti-Submarine Warfare Ship (MILGEM- Milli Gemi – National Ship) Project, SSM, Turkey The design concept and mission profile of the Ada-class corvette bears similarities to the of the U.S. Navy. The Ada-class corvettes are more heavily armed and are equipped with more capable radar and sonar systems, while the Freedom class has a higher speed and variable mission modules.Milgem Class Multimission Corvettes, Turkey, Naval Technology, Retrieved 6 December 2010
According to the Ada-class acquisition model, Turkey's Undersecretariat for Defense Industries (SSM) signed R&D contracts for two prototype ships considered to be testing platforms. Thus, being an open-end project, first and second ships of the class were expected to be slightly different in terms of vessel design and system configuration. The subsequent vessels, scheduled to be built by private shipyards, would have a more optimized design and configuration.Acquisition of Design Services and Platform Construction and Outfitting Equipment for MILGEM Project Prototype Ship and Second Ship, SSM, Turkey, Retrieved 6 December 2010
All four ships of the series, , , and were built by the Istanbul Naval Shipyard. The construction works of the lead ship, TCG Heybeliada commenced on 26 July 2005. Heybeliada was launched with a ceremony attended by Prime Minister of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on 27 September 2008. On 2 November 2010, Heybeliada initiated sea acceptance trials in the Sea of Marmara. Newsletter about TCG Heybeliada , Turkish Navy, 12 November 2010First Turkish MILGEM begins sea trials, Richard Scott, IHS Jane's, 22 November 2010 Heybeliada entered navy service on 27 September 2011. Newsletter about TCG Heybeliada , Turkish Navy, 27 September 2011 The cost of Heybeliada was reported around US$260 million.Turkiyenin urettigi ilk savas gemisi Heybeliada seyirde, Umit Kozan, 12 November 2010
The production of the second ship of the class, , commenced on 27 September 2008. Büyükada was expected to incorporate weapon systems with notable performance, such as the ASELSAN air-search radar. Büyükada was launched on 27 September 2011 and underwent sea acceptance trials before it was officially commissioned on 27 September 2013. In September 2013, then Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan announced that the Ada class was to be temporarily put on hold after the completion of the first two corvettes by the Istanbul Naval Shipyard, and that the bid won by RMK Marine to build six more corvettes was canceled. Motives behind this decision was reported other shipbuilders complaining about the bidding process. He added that a new bidding process would take place. Construction of commenced on 17 December 2014. The ship was launched in June 2016 and commissioned on 4 November 2018.Turkish Navy commissions third Milgem corvette TCG Burgazada, Naval Today, 5 November 2018 Turkish Naval Forces Command (TNFC) received its fourth and last Ada-class corvette, TCG Kinaliada (F-514) on 29 September 2019, in the commissioning ceremony held at the Istanbul Naval Shipyard.Turkish Navy receives fourth and last Milgem corvette, Janes Group UK, 1 October 2019
On 4 November 2019, the Defense Industries Administration (SSB) of Turkey announced that Turkey's ASW corvette TCG Kinaliada, successfully test-fired Atmaca anti-ship cruise missile. Turkish Navy plans to replace the inventory of Harpoon ASM by 2022.
Characteristics The class vessels are propelled by a RENK CODAG cross-connect propulsion plant. It consists of a gas turbine rated at and two diesel engines rated at . Each diesel engine drives one controllable pitch propeller via a two-speed main reduction gear. The cross-connect gear splits the power from the gas turbine via both main reduction gears to the two shafts. The ship can be operated in diesel mode, in single gas turbine mode or in CODAG mode. CODAG is where diesel and gas turbine engines are providing combined power (27,320 kW).
GENESIS (Gemi Entegre Savaş İdare Sistemi, i.e., Ship Integrated Combat Management System), a network-centric warfare management system developed by HAVELSAN and initially used in the upgraded s of the Turkish Navy, was contracted for the first two corvettes on 23 May 2007.MILGEM Project, GENESIS Combat Management System , Havelsan, Retrieved 6 December 2010Havelsan advances MILGEM integration, Jane's IDEX 2011 exhibition news, Retrieved 25 February 2011 In the last Ada-class corvette, Kınalıada, the ADVENT combat management system (an upgraded version of GENESIS) is installed instead of GENESIS system. It is also planned for Burgazada to be retrofitted with the ADVENT combat management system. The class ships have a national hull mounted sonar developed by the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey.Indigenous Sonar Wet-End System Production and Integration Project, SSM, Turkey The sonar dome has been developed by STM's subcontractor ONUK-BG Defence Systems, extensively employing nano-enhanced Fiber Reinforced Polymer.MİLGEM Corvette Sonar Dome , Onuk-BG Defence Systems, Turkey The Ada class features an Electronic Chart Precise Integrated Navigation System (ECPINS), supplied by OSI Geospatial.OSI Geospatial Selected by the Turkish Navy to Provide W-ECPINS for the MILGEM Corvette New Build Program , OSI Geospatial News Release, 4 June 2009 Integrated Platform Management System (IPMS) for controlling machinery, auxiliary systems, power generation and distribution was delivered by STM's subcontractor Yaltes JV. Main systems integrated to IPMS are power management system, fire detection system, fire fighting, damage control system, CCTV system and stability control system.YALTES MILGEM IPMS Project , Yaltes JV, Retrieved 6 December 2010
Naming "Ada" means island in Turkish. Each individual ship of the class is named for a Turkish island, in particular the Prince Islands in the Sea of Marmara to the southeast of Istanbul. The lead ship of the class, , is named after Heybeliada island, where the Turkish Naval High School is located.
Ships in the class Turkish Naval Forces Pennant number Name Namesake Builder Laid down Launched Commissioned Status F-511 HeybeliadaIstanbul Naval Shipyard 26 July 2005 27 September 2008 27 September 2011 Active F-512 Büyükada 27 September 2008 27 September 2011 27 September 2013 Active F-513 Burgazada 17 December 2014 21 June 2016 4 November 2018 Active F-514 Kinaliada 8 October 2015 3 July 2017 29 September 2019 Active A-591 Horizon 9 February 2017 9 February 2019 14 January 2022 Active
Pakistan Navy
Pennant numberNameBuilderLaid downLaunchedCommissionedStatusF280BaburIstanbul Naval Shipyard (INSY)4 June 2020 15 August 202123 September 2023ActiveF282Khaibar1 May 202125 November 202221 December 2025ActiveF281BadrKarachi Shipyard & Engineering Works (KSEW)25 October 202020 May 2022June 2026 (expected)LaunchedF283Tariq5 November 2021 2 August 2023Q1 2027 (expected)Launched
Ukrainian Navy Pennant number Name Namesake Builder Laid down Launched Commissioned StatusF211 Ivan MazepaSTM 7 September 2021 2 October 2022Sea trialsF212 Ivan VyhovskyiSTM 18 August 20231 August 2024Launched
Royal Malaysian Navy
Pennant number Name Builder Laid down Launched Commissioned Status141Tunku Laksamana Abdul JalilSTM4 December 202424 May 2026Fitting out142Raja LautSTM TBA7 June 2026Fitting out143Tunku Osman JewaSTM TBA9 August 2026Fitting out
Export In 2018, Pakistan contracted ASFAT for the construction of Ada class for Pakistan Navy. This deal includes transfer of technology to Pakistan.
The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense has ordered two corvettes for Ukrainian Navy with construction to be performed jointly by the Turkish STM and Ukrainian shipyard. Under the deal, the first vessel will be delivered to Ukraine by the end of 2023 unfinished, to then be completed in Ukraine. The deal was signed in December 2020 worth $256 million.
In 2022, STM proposed the Ada class to the Royal Malaysian Navy for their Littoral Mission Ship (LMS) Batch 2 program. In June 2024, Malaysia officially placed an order for three ships. The corvettes will be armed with a 76 mm naval gun, Aselsan SMASH 30 mm gun, four quad pack vertical launching systems for a total of 16 surface-to-air missiles (probably K-SAAM) and eight Atmaca anti-ship missiles on each ship.
In Aselsan 2023 annual report was stated that four Ada class were exported to an unnamed Middle Eastern country.
See also
Equivalent modern corvettes
References