Turkey will receive 8 new TF2000 frigates for about $7 billion. 4 of them will be built by foreign pricate companies and the rest by Turkish shipbuilders, Defense News reports.
Secretariat of the Turkish Military Industry (SSM) wants to hire Lockheed Martin, BAE Systems, Navantia and Aselsan. Final ships will start operating before the end of 2023.
Turkish military engineers have been developing the TF2000 project since the second half of the 1990s. The ships will have a water displacement of over 6,000 tons and speed of 28 knots. They will have cruise missiles. Turkey plans to install the SM-2 missiles of the US. The TF2000 ship group will have S-70B2 Seahawk helicopter and drones.
TF2000 will be the final frigates built by foreign specialists for Turkey.
