Jane's Fighting Ships

Yesterday I have received my personal complementary copy of Jane's Fighting Ships.

Every year since 1991, I feel the same excitement and joy when hold that years edition for the first time.

This year I am happy to see that my photos of USS McFaul and WHEC Dallas were printed. I have taken the photos of both ships when they were passing through Bosphorus northbound, shortly after the Russo-Georgian War.

I am also happy to see that one of the photos of a very good friend of mine, Arda Mevlütoğlu, was published as well.

SNMG-2 is back, off Somalia

NATO has send the SNMG-2 back to Gulf of Aden and off Somalia. The group passed the Suez canal on 25th June and is currently in the region.

Two photos of F-495 TCG Gediz, Turkish contribution to SNMG-2 can be seen here and here.

TCG Gediz will join TCG Gaziantep in Gulf of Aden

According to the official web site of Turkish Navy, Turkey will send a second warship to fight against piracy and armed robbery to the Gulf of Aden.

Perry class F-495 TCG Gediz will depart from Gölcük Naval Base on 19th June 2009. She will be a part of the NATO's SNMG-2. Last week NATO decided to send SNMG-2 to the region to place SNMG-1

Currently there 2 Turkish warships south of Suez. TCG Giresun is in the region since February, and is part of the Turkish led CTF-151. TCG Gaziantep has newly arrived in the region to take over from TCG Giresun. Both ships should be in Djibouti on 18th and 19th June. There they will be conducting a handing over ceremony.

USS Stout in Bodrum

It seems that this week will be a busy one regarding visiting warships.

US Navy destroyer DDG-55 USS Stout of US 6th Fleet, arrived in Bodrum today. She will stay in town till 19th June 2009.

Foreign warships usually prefer touristic town of Marmaris as their port call, with Turkish naval base Aksaz in the neighbourhood.

Therefore it is a little bit unusual for USS Stout to visit Bodrum. But Bodrum has a very vivid nightlife and I am sure the sailors of USS Stout will have a good time. Here is the proof.

Japanese Squadron in Istanbul

Yesterday a small squadron of 3 Japanese warships have arrived in Istanbul.

Japanese warships especially training ships, do visit Istanbul almost in every other year usually as a stop of their training cruise.


This visit was no exception. Two of the visiting ships, TV-3513 JDS Shimayuki and TV-3508JDS Kashima are training ships. Kashima is a pure bread where as Shimayuki started her career as a destroyer. She was converted in 1999.

The last ship, DD-153 JDS Yuugiri is a Asagiri class destroyer.It is always nice to see ships coming to town from different and far places.

Black Sea Cruise Of Several Turkish Warships

Apparently some Turkish warships are conducting a public relations / soft power cruise along the Black Sea coast.

On 10th June Wednesday, frigates F-240 TCG Yavuz (Meko 200 TN class); F-245 TCG Oruçreis (Meko 200 TN IIA class); F-246 TCG Salihreis (Meko 200 TN IIBclass), F-496 TCG Gökova (Perry class); submarine S-352 TCG Dolunay, fast attack crafts P-337 TCG Atak (Kılıç II class), P-334 TCG Rüzgar and logistic support ships A-595 TCG Yarbay Kudret Güngör visited town of İnebolu.

On 12th June Friday, F-240 TCG Yavuz; F-246 TCG Salihreis and S-352 TCG Dolunay, arrived in Sinop.

On 13th June Saturday (today), F-240 TCG Yavuz; F-246 TCG Salihreis are in Giresun.

Other major cities on the Black Sea coast Trabzon and Rize can be the next ports of call.

Such cruises along the coast with frequent port calls, where public can visit a warship, is an effective way of establishing a good profile in public opinion. And they are also a good way to promote people to join the navy as well.

CTF-151 helped to twart an attack to a Turkish ship

Turkish Navy announced that Turkish frigate F-491 TCG Giresun, currently attached to CTF-151 helped a Turkish merchantman under attack 700 miles away.

Turkish flagged M/V Gökcan was attacked by pirates on 10 June 2009 off the coast of east Oman. While initiating evasive maneuvers and increasing speed the ship notified Turkish authorities that she was under attack.

TCG Giresun attached to CTF-151 was 700 miles away at that time. But she has contacted other coalition forces in the vicinity of M/V Gökcan.

Spanish frigate from NATO's SMNG-1, F-503 SPS Blas De Lezo, the nearest warship to M/V Gökcan send her helicopter to provide distant support.

According to Turkish Navy M/V Gökcan is out of the danger area and is continuing her cruise safely.