Ada-class

Summary

Description

The Ada class is a series of anti-submarine corvettes designed and developed for the Turkish Navy as part of the MILGEM project. All four vessels in the class, namely TCG Heybeliada, TCG Büyükada, TCG Burgazada, and TCG Kınalıada, were constructed by the Istanbul Naval Shipyard Command. The lead ship, TCG Heybeliada, was laid down in July 2005, launched in September 2008, and entered service in September 2011 at an approximate cost of USD 260 million. TCG Büyükada was initiated immediately after the launch of Heybeliada and commissioned in September 2013. The Ada-class was temporarily put on hold following the construction of the initial two corvettes due to bidding process issues. Burgazada and Kınalıada followed, with Burgazada commissioned in November 2018 and Kınalıada in September 2019. TCG Kinaliada successfully test-fired the Atmaca anti-ship cruise missile in November 2019, and it is expected that the Turkish Navy will replace Harpoon anti-ship missiles with the Atmaca by 2022.

The design of the Ada-class corvette incorporates principles of stealth technology, which are meant to ensure reduced signatures. The corvettes are powered by a combined diesel and gas (CODAG) propulsion system, featuring a gas turbine and two diesel engines, enabling various operational modes. While comparable to the U.S. Navy's Freedom-class littoral combat ships in terms of mission profiles, Ada-class corvettes are more heavily armed with advanced radar and sonar capabilities. The Genes Integrated Combat Management System (GENESIS) was implemented aboard the first two corvettes, with the last vessel, Kınalıada, being outfitted with the upgraded ADVENT system. A locally developed hull-mounted sonar features prominently in the class's design.

In terms of international presence, the class has seen interest from the Pakistan Navy and the Ukrainian Navy. Pakistan has decided to incorporate the Ada design into their Babur-class corvettes, with vessels under various stages of construction and delivery. Ukraine, as part of a joint venture with Turkey's STM and a Ukrainian shipyard, ordered two corvettes, with the first vessel scheduled to be delivered unfinished by the end of 2023 and completed in Ukraine. The 99M OPV, a derivative of the Ada-class, was also proposed by STM for the Royal Malaysian Navy's Littoral Mission Ship batch II program.

Technical specifications