Türkiye launches sixth Istanbul-class frigate TCG Karadeniz at Sedef Shipyard

TCG Karadeniz (F-520), the sixth Istanbul-class frigate built under Türkiye’s MILGEM programme, has been launched at Sedef Shipyard, carrying an indigenous vertical launch system and Atmaca anti-ship missiles.

A growing indigenous class

TCG Karadeniz, the sixth ship of the Turkish Navy’s Istanbul (I) class, has entered the water at Sedef Shipyard. Hull number F-520 makes her part of the frigate-scale evolution of the MILGEM warship programme, which began with the smaller Ada-class corvettes and has since grown into larger, more heavily armed vessels.

With Karadeniz afloat, six of the eight planned ships in the class have now been launched or commissioned, and multiple hulls are progressing in parallel through construction, fitting-out and sea trials.

Weapons and sensors

Displacing roughly 3,100 tonnes at full load, the 113.2-metre ship offers a range of 5,700 nautical miles at 14 knots and a top speed above 29 knots.

At the core of her firepower sits a 16-cell MIDLAS vertical launch system, which in quad-pack configuration can carry up to 64 Hisar-D RF air-defence interceptors. The frigate also fields 16 Atmaca anti-ship missiles across four quad launchers, a 76 mm MKE gun, a twin-barrel 35 mm Gökdeniz close-in weapon system, two 25 mm remote weapon stations and 324 mm torpedo tubes firing Orka lightweight torpedoes.

Sensor fit is centred on the Cenk-S AESA radar, credited with a detection range near 400 kilometres and the ability to track more than a thousand targets, paired with Havelsan’s Advent combat management system, the Akrep fire-control radar, the Alper low-probability-of-intercept surface-search radar and the Fersah hull-mounted sonar.

Domestic content and schedule

The lead ship, TCG Istanbul, was commissioned on 19 January 2024. Turkish officials cite an indigenous content ratio of about 80 per cent across the class, reflecting the integration of locally developed launchers, missiles, radars and combat software on a single platform.

A launch marks a major construction milestone, but the ship must still complete outfitting, systems integration and sea trials before she is accepted into service.

Why it matters

The steady cadence of Istanbul-class launches underlines Türkiye’s aim to design and build frigate-class combatants at home while reducing reliance on imported subsystems. The pairing of an indigenous VLS with domestic anti-ship and air-defence effectors is also a selling point in export competitions, where the class has already been offered to international customers in varied configurations.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which class does TCG Karadeniz belong to?

She is the sixth Istanbul (I)-class frigate developed under the MILGEM programme, carrying hull number F-520.

What is the MIDLAS system?

MIDLAS is Türkiye’s indigenous 16-cell vertical launch system, able to carry up to 64 Hisar-D RF interceptors in a quad-pack layout.

Sources

1. Global Defense Corp – “Türkiye launches the sixth Istanbul-class frigate, TCG Karadeniz, at Sedef Shipyard” – 31 July 2026. Used for launch date, dimensions and weapons fit. Link: https://www.globaldefensecorp.com/2026/07/31/turkiye-launches-the-sixth-istanbul-class-frigate-tcg-karadeniz-at-sedef-shipyard/
2. Turkish Presidency of Defence Industries (SSB) and MILGEM programme statements. Used for programme schedule and domestic content ratio.
3. Turkish Naval Forces Command – Istanbul-class frigate data. Used for sensor and combat-management details.