The future flagship of the Ukrainian Navy’s fleet, the Hetman Ivan Mazepa corvette, is nearly finished at the Istanbul Naval Shipyard. Once the vessel is constructed, the military and electronic systems will be installed.
Recently, Turkey has been on the left and right: Turkish president Erdogan and Putin are talking about cooperation to introduce Russian gas, while Russia will export natural gas to Turkey, and a quarter will be settled in rubles. In response, Putin said he sees Turkey as a “reliable” trading partner that can ensure stable deliveries to the rest of the world through its territory. On the other hand, Turkish shipyards are working overtime to build guided missile frigates for Ukraine. In 2020, Ukraine ordered 2 Turkish Ada class corvettes.
Pakistan also ordered four Ada corvette from Turkey, but the weapon system is different from Ukraine’s. The Ukrainian version of the Ada class stealth frigate has a displacement of 2400 tons and is equipped with 16 units of Mika vertically launched anti-aircraft missiles and
On the anti-ship side, there are 8 American Harpoon anti-ship missiles or Ukrainian domestic Neptune anti-ship missiles, as well as the S-70B anti-submarine helicopter. The Ukrainian side is more concerned about air defense and anti-missile capabilities. Therefore, Ukraine chose the Mika missile, which has a range of only 20 kilometers but has an hgh speed, better accuracy and reaction speed.
At the fastest speed, the first Ada class frigate will be delivered to Ukraine in 2023. This poses a certain threat to the surface fleet of the Russian Black Sea Fleet. After months of fighting, the current Black Sea Fleet is left with four frigates that were in service more than 40-50 years ago, as well as several landing ships, the latest of which are small missile ships.
In addition, the Black Sea Fleet also has a certain number of landing ships, patrol ships, small missile ships, small anti-submarine ships, missile boats, and various types of service ships. But none of these ships had real air defense capabilities.
The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense has ordered 2 corvettes 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.
The class vessels are propelled by a RENK CODAG Cross-Connect propulsion plant. It consists of a gas turbine rated at 23,000 kilowatts (31,000 hp) and two diesel engines rated at 4,320 kW (5,790 hp).
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 G-class frigates of the Turkish Navy, was contracted for the first two corvettes on 23 May 2007.
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.
The sonar dome has been developed by STM’s subcontractor ONUK-BG Defence Systems, extensively employing nano-enhanced Fiber Reinforced Polymer.
The Ada class features an Electronic Chart Precise Integrated Navigation System (ECPINS), supplied by OSI Geospatial. Integrated Platform Management System (IPMS) for controlling machinery, auxiliary systems, power generation and distribution was delivered by STM’s subcontractor Yaltes JV.
The main systems integrated to IPMS are power management system, fire detection system, fire fighting, damage control system, CCTV system and stability control system.
At present, the military assistance of the United States and NATO to Ukraine has begun to focus on a long-term period from the current battle to the future direction of military strength. Recently, Germany approved the Ukrainian aid of 18 of the latest RCH-155 wheeled howitzer systems, which the Wehrmacht itself does not have. Fully automatic loading with an unmanned turret, it has a 360° omnidirectional firing capability and can carry 30 rounds of various types of 155 mm caliber projectiles and up to 145 modular propellants. In addition, the gun also retains the ability to fire multiple rounds at the same time, that is, firing multiple shells in turn, hitting the target almost simultaneously through different ballistics, increasing the strike power.
Turkey is not only building warships for Ukraine, but is also working with Ukraine to produce drones. And not only the production of TB-2 armed drones, but also the use of Ukrainian aeronautical technology and engines to produce more advanced large drones, and even the Kızılelma unmanned fighter project.
At the same time, Ukraine is also stepping up the development and production of ballistic and cruise missiles. Recently, Ukrainian intelligence arrested a Resada Perkova, an engineer at the 102nd plant of the Southern Ukrainian Design Bureau. It is because Resada Perkova revealed to Russia that Ukraine is building a 500-kilometer Hrim-2 ballistic missile project. At the same time, Ukraine is also working on a variety of long-range missiles such as the Gilchin River long-range air defense system.
If the Russian army wants to defeat Ukraine, 2023 may be the last time window. With the passage of time, the military strength of the Ukrainian army will become stronger and stronger.