Türkiye’s first national frigate fires first missile from indigenous VLS

Türkiye’s first national frigate, TCG ISTANBUL (F-515), built by STM, has tested the first national Vertical Launch System (VLS) MİDLAS.

MİDLAS, which has completed sea acceptance tests, successfully fired the HİSAR-D RF missile for the first time from the TCG Istanbul frigate. With this test, for the first time in Türkiye’s, a national air defense missile was fired from a naval platform using a national launcher.

Another important success in the conducted firing tests was the integration of the national combat management system ADVENT and other ship radar/sensor and firing control systems on TCG Istanbul to launch the HİSAR-D RF missile.

“As the main contractorship of STM under the leadership of the under the leadership of the Defence Industry Agency (SSB), our frigate TCG ISTANBUL (I Class Frigate), which has the highest ındigenous content ratio in Türkiye’s, will make a striking impact in Blue Homeland defense with its weapons, electronic warfare, and sensor systems. As Türkiye’s naval engineering power, we will continue to equip our Navy with advanced technology pioneer combat platforms,” STM General Manager Özgür Güleryüz stated.

The contract for the construction of the TCG İSTANBUL, the first ship in the MiLGEM İ-Class frigate project under Phase 2 of the MiLGEM ADA-class corvette project, was signed on 12 April, 2019 between STM and the Defence Industry Agency (SSB).

Following the launch of TCG İSTANBUL (F-515) in January 2021, the ship rigging in a dry dock and port acceptance tests were subsequently launched in May 2022.

The frigate joined the Turkish Navy in January this year, during the official parade held by the Turkish Navy in the Istanbul Strait to mark the 100th anniversary of the country.