Recently, the test and training ship TCG Ufuk, developed with the contract signed in 2016 between the Presidency of Defense Industries and the main contractor STM, entered the inventory with the ceremony attended by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. During the statement made, it was said that the new National Vertical Launch System project has gained momentum and will be used in new future MİLGEM projects. We have gathered the general lines of the project for you.
New MİLGEMs are coming to Blue Vatan!
Defense Industry President İsmail Demir announced that 3 new MİLGEMs will come to Mavi Vatan with his social media accounts.
The National Vertical Launch System will soon enter the inventory in the future
Within the scope of the mid-life modernization project of Barbaros class frigates, signed between Aselsan and Havelsan joint venture and the Presidency of Defense Industries in 2018, the old MK-29 Sea Sparrow launchers were renewed with two 8-cell Mk-41 vertical launch systems. In addition, as far as we know, there is one 8-cell module on our G-class TCG Gaziantep ship.
In the next period, under the MİLGEM project, of which STM was the main contractor, it was planned to be a derivative of the TF-100 class frigate, developed as a TF-100 class frigate, with the increased durability of Ada class corvettes, as well as a Mark 41 vertical launch system for multi-purpose uses.
However, the use of Mark 41 systems on frigates was prevented due to the secret embargo imposed by the USA. After this situation, the use of MDAS (National Vertical Throwing System), which is currently under development, came to the fore.
The MDASs, which are expected to be included in the inventory in the near future, are planned to be used in the air defense destroyer and destroyer TF-2000 ships, which are currently under feasibility studies and planned within the scope of the MİLGEM program of the Presidency of Defense Industries for the Turkish Naval Forces.
In addition, the President of the Defense Industry, İsmail Demir, announced that the tender process for the 6th, 7th and 8th ships had been started in his post on social media. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan repeated this statement during his speech. Therefore, it is expected to be used in this new Stacker class ships as well.
It is said that the cost of the 12 Mk-41 vertical launch system is $55 million per ship. Of course, there can be up to 90 on the deck of the destroyer ships used by the USA. Therefore, the cost per ship is approaching 1 billion dollars. However, when we look at the test results, it is said that 3 missiles are enough to sink a ship.
In this case, the fact that the MDAS systems developed by Turkey will come with a 16-cell structure seems to be more than enough for the initial and modernization process. In addition, the 16 MDAS system is expected to cost around $70 million.
When we look at the general features, MDASs are expected to be slightly different from the Mk-41s structurally. For example, MK-41s will be 7 meters 70 cm, while MDASs will be 8 meters long. In addition, it is aimed to use the Soft Launch technique to apply less pressure to the launch system and to affect the sensors at a minimum level.
Although it does not go through a mass production process as large as the USA, the close costs are a very positive development for the first production. In addition, the money to be spent within the scope of this project will remain within the borders of Turkey, increase the income of domestic companies and contribute to the workforce will be a reason for preference in itself.
When we look at the history, it is expected that the development process of the National Vertical Launch System will be completed in 2022 and it will be taken to the inventory stage. Its first use will be with TCG Istanbul, our Stacker class ship, which was started in 2017, launched in 2021 and will be put into service in the second half of 2023.
In addition, as far as we know, MDAS systems will directly compete with the Mk-41. However, if deemed necessary in the following years, the development process will continue. Therefore, we may see the first steps of a system that rivals the Mk-57, which comes with the 4-unit, in the coming years. But it should not be forgotten that this will proceed completely in line with the needs.
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