Turkish Navy frigate TCG Gediz is joining the NATO Standing Maritime Group 1 (SNMG1) for over two months of operations with international partners.
The former US Navy Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigate got underway from her Aegean Sea homeport of Aksaz Naval Base on April 6 and is currently on a port visit to Catania, Italy.
TCG Gediz is set to take part in 3 international exercises and visit 11 ports in 9 countries before departing the international group and heading home on July 6.
Gediz is one of overall nine former OHP frigates transferred from the US to Turkey between 1997 and 2003. The frigates were modernized by the Turkish Navy and are now referred to as G-class frigates. Turkey has upgraded the frigates with Mk-41 vertical launch systems and domestic combat management systems.
SNMG1 currently consists of ships from Denmark, Canada, Germany and Turkey and is under the command of Royal Danish Navy Commodore Søren Thinggaard Larsen from aboard the group flagship HDMS Niels Juel.