TCG Gediz Returns Home

Almost suddenly TCG Gediz returned home from Somalia today.

She arrived at her homeport Gölcük  on 19th November 2009. She had left Turkey in June as part of NATO's SNMG-2.

During the 154 days was she was in Gulf of Aden she spend 124 days underway, 30 days in ports. She covered a distance of 30.000 nautical miles in 3000 sailing hours.


More information on the home comming can be found here and photos here.

Turkey and Egypt will conduct joint naval exercise

The exercise Dostluk Denizi 2009 (Sea of Friendship 2009) will be held between 16th and 21st November 2009 in East Mediterranean.

2 frigates, 2 fact attack craft, one support ship, one naval special forces team from Egyptian Navy and 2 frigates, 2 fact attack craft , one corvettes, one submarine, one support ship two patrol boats, one naval special forces team from Turkish Navy will take part in the exercise.

Egyptian defense minister Field Marshal Mohamed Hussein Tantawi Soliman and Turkish defense minister Vecdi Gönül will attend as observers.

The exact order of battle for this exercise is not clear yet. But I have a strong hunch that at least one of the Egyptian frigates is Perry class. Currently Egyptian navy operates 4 Perry class frigates and is a potential customer for the GENESIS combat management system Turkey has produced.

Some might speculate that by exercising with Egypt instead of Isreal, Turkey is heading towards a different political path. But I speculate that this exercise is a good opportunity to show and to sell the performance of GENESIS.

USS Bataan in İzmir

USS Bataan docked in İzmir for the last liberty call before returning home.

Here are some photos:

Photos are taken from denizhaber.com.tr website.

Photos From Nusret 2009

Turkish Navy published a few photos from the ongoing Nusret 2009 mine exercise. The exercise will end on 16th November.

Click here for the photos.

USS Bataan will visit İzmir

LHD-5 USS Bataan will visit İzmir between 16th and 19th of November.

She was stationed in Persian Gulf and is returning back to USA. Apparently İzmir will be the only port of liberty on her way back home.


The local businesses are exited about the prospect of receiving more than 20.000 2.000 hard drinking US Marines and sailors.

Minex Nusret 2009 Has Started

The annual Nusret naval exercise has started. The aim of this exercise is to improve anti mine warfare techniques of the participants.

The details of the participating ships is not clear but according to TRT Turkish Navy is sending 9 minesweepers, 2 rescue vessels, 1 helicopter, and Air Force jets. Furthermore NATO’s SNMCMG-2 and MCM ships from Bulgaria, Greece, Germany and Spain are taking part as well.

Just like last year the exercise in held in Northern Aegean. The Nusrat Minex 2009 will end on November 16th.

Click here for a video from the opening presentation.

Turkey Navy caught 5 pirates red handed

According to the website of Turkish General Staff, today frigate TCG Gediz, her on board helicopter and the embarked naval special forces team in a joint operation prevented the high jacking of M/V Theofors.

On 5th November 2009, 70 miles off the coast of Yemen in side IRTC, the Panama flagged, Greek owned M/V Theofors reported that she was under attack by pirates armed with AK-47's and PRG-7's.

TCG Gediz responded to the incident and stooped the skiff with 5 pirates after a series of warning shots and dynamic maneuvering.

The naval special forces captured the skiff with 5 pirates on board. 3 AK-47’s 1 FN-FAL, 1 RPG-7, 4 RPG-7 rounds, 3 AK-47 magazines and hooks.

This is one of the rare instances when the pirates are caught before they get rid of their weapons. Pirates usually ditch their weapons when they realized that they cannot escape from detention so there is less evidence against them.

With this latest arrest, the total of captured pirates by Turkish Navy increased to 29.

Photos are from Turkish General Staff website.