Turkish Navy to address capability gaps with new OPV launches
The first OPV, Akhisar P 1220, enters the waters at the ASFAT launch event on 23 September (Photo: ASFAT).
Turkey is asserting it naval shipbuilding credentials and place as a major maritime power with the delivery of three ships in one day.
Turkish defence company ASFAT launched two new Akhisar-class Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs), Akhisar (P 1220) and Kochisar (P 1221), for the Turkish Navy at an event on 23 September 2023.
Meanwhile on the same day at Istanbul Naval Shipyard, the first of four new Babur-class corvettes, PN Babur (F280) was delivered to the Pakistan Navy.
Shephard reported in April 2022 that construction on the Akhisar-class OPVs had started following the completion of a critical design review. At 108.2m-long and displacing 2,985t they are on the large size for an OPV and have an armament comparable to a corvette including an
Already have an account? Log in
Want to keep reading this article?
More from Naval Warfare
-
![Maritime defence in the Mediterranean faces challenges from vulnerable land power]()
Maritime defence in the Mediterranean faces challenges from vulnerable land power
As an indispensable energy crossroads, the Mediterranean is at serious risk from grey zone disruption. As navies increasingly employ AI data centres, what happens when cutting-edge defence technologies rely on the very infrastructure most susceptible to hybrid tactics?
-
![US Navy to conduct an experimentation campaign with emerging tech in 2026 and 2027]()
US Navy to conduct an experimentation campaign with emerging tech in 2026 and 2027
The Technology Operational Experimentation Events will inform future requirements as the US Navy looks for innovative solutions across three key operational domains.
-
![US Navy to acquire micro-uncrewed underwater vehicles for ISR and coastal data collection]()
US Navy to acquire micro-uncrewed underwater vehicles for ISR and coastal data collection
The Naval Supply Systems Command is seeking authorised resellers of JaiaBot uncrewed underwater vehicles and multivehicle pods. The platforms will support undergraduate education at the US Naval Academy.
