BORA family: TAIS corvette and frigate designs
Quick answer: The BORA family is the corvette and frigate design series that TAIS Shipyards offers to the export market. In the official product catalog, the family consists of the 100-meter Corvette-100 and three frigate lengths of 105, 115 and 140 meters. The series scales a single design approach across different displacements and mission loads: four hulls running from a 2,400-ton corvette to a 6,500-ton multi-mission frigate. This file collects the family’s officially published data in a single table.
The family in one table
| Platform | Length overall | Beam | Displacement | Speed | Crew |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Corvette-100 BORA | 100 m | 13.4 m | 2,400 t | 29 kn | 115 |
| Frigate-105 BORA | 105 m | — | 2,500 t | 29 kn | 115 |
| Frigate-115 BORA | 115 m | — | 3,000 t | 29 kn | 130 |
| Frigate-140 BORA | 140 m | — | 6,500 t | 29 kn | 160 |
All values in the table were taken from TAIS’s official product pages. Beam is explicitly listed on the official pages only for the Corvette-100; for the other hulls it is not officially disclosed. Since weapon and sensor configurations are defined to customer requirements, the catalog does not give a fixed fit.
Corvette-100 BORA: the family’s entry hull
The Corvette-100, with its 2,400-ton displacement and 115-strong crew, is designed for a mission band running from offshore patrol to surface warfare. Its 29-knot speed figure stands out as the common performance target maintained across every hull in the family. The hull dimensions fall in the same class as the MİLGEM Ada class; the BORA family, however, is not MİLGEM itself but TAIS’s own export-oriented design line. TAIS’s actual role in MİLGEM production is covered separately in the İstif-class file.
Frigate-105 and Frigate-115: the mid-size hulls
The Frigate-105 builds on the corvette hull with limited growth; displacement rises to 2,500 tons and length to 105 meters. The Frigate-115, at 3,000 tons displacement with a 130-strong crew, is the family’s mid-class combatant. Its size band sits close to the İstif class built for the Turkish Navy and to the İstanbul-class version covered by the export contract signed for Indonesia; the export process is detailed in the export file.
Frigate-140: the top of the family
The Frigate-140 Multi-Mission, at 140 meters in length and 6,500 tons displacement, is the largest hull in the family. Its crew is listed as 160. This size corresponds to the large-frigate and sub-destroyer class on the world market; the catalog presents it with a multi-mission role definition. Despite its displacement, the 29-knot speed target is maintained.
Design approach: one family, four scales
That all four hulls share the same speed target and a similar superstructure layout shows the design scaling on a common-platform logic. The practical consequence for a buyer is this: a navy acquiring ships of different lengths from the same design family can pool its training, spares and maintenance infrastructure. Leaving weapon and sensor choices open on the catalog pages is part of the same logic; TAIS supplies the hull and platform engineering, while the combat system package takes shape according to the customer country’s preferences and procurement constraints. An example configuration integrating Turkish-built systems can be seen in the İstanbul class sold to Indonesia: The Defense Post reports the ATMACA anti-ship missile and the MİDLAS vertical launching system on these ships.
Market position
Together with the patrol vessel series, the BORA family forms the backbone of the surface combatant segment in the TAIS catalog; the difference between the two series lies in mission load and level of armament. For lighter tasks the OPV series sits in the same catalog, as do the amphibious platforms and replenishment ships for amphibious and logistics needs. No official order list has been published showing which customers the family has been sold to so far; the Indonesia agreement runs on the İstanbul-class design.
Frequently asked questions
Is the BORA family the same thing as MİLGEM?
No. MİLGEM is the national ship program run by the SSB; the BORA family is TAIS’s own export-oriented design series. The size bands are similar, but the programs are separate.
What are the basic dimensions of the Corvette-100 BORA?
According to the official page: 100 meters length overall, 13.4 meters beam, 2,400 tons displacement, 29 knots speed and a crew of 115.
Why is the Frigate-140 larger than the rest of the family?
It was designed for a multi-mission profile; the 6,500-ton displacement provides hull volume for a wider weapons, sensor and aviation load.
What is the weapons configuration of the BORA ships?
The official catalog publishes no fixed weapons list; the configuration is defined to customer requirements. No guesses were made about undisclosed details.
Has any country ordered from the BORA family?
The family has no announced order under its own name. TAIS’s 2026 frigate agreement for Indonesia covers the İstanbul-class design.
Sources and verification note
All numerical values were verified against TAIS’s official product pages, and the Indonesia agreement against The Defense Post. Accessed: August 13, 2026.
- TAIS, Corvette-100 BORA: https://www.taisshipyards.com/en/corvette-100-bora
- TAIS, Frigate-105 BORA: https://www.taisshipyards.com/en/frigate-105-bora
- TAIS, Frigate-115 BORA: https://www.taisshipyards.com/en/frigate-115-bora
- TAIS, Frigate-140 BORA Multi-Mission: https://www.taisshipyards.com/en/frigate-140-bora-multi-mission
- TAIS, product index: https://www.taisshipyards.com/en/products
- The Defense Post, “Turkey’s TAIS Signs $1B Frigate Agreement With Qatar’s Barzan for Indonesia” (21.01.2026): https://thedefensepost.com/2026/01/21/tais-frigate-agreement-indonesia/
