TCG Yıldırım (F 243)

TCG Yıldırım (F 243) is a Yavuz-class frigate of the Turkish Navy.

TCG Yıldırım on 2 June 2014
History
Turkey
Name	Yıldırım
Namesake	Bayezid I
Builder	Gölcük Naval Shipyard, Kocaeli, Turkey
Launched	22 July 1988[1]
Commissioned	17 November 1989[1]
Identification	Pennant number: F 243
Status	Active
General characteristics
Class & type	Yavuz-class frigate
Displacement	3,030 tons full load
Length	110.50 m (362.53 ft)
Beam	13.25 m (43.47 ft)
Draught	3.94 m (12.93 ft)
Installed power	4 MTU 20V 1163 diesel-engines, 30,000 hp (22,000 kW) CODAD
Propulsion	2 shaft, controllable pitch propellers
Speed	27 knots (50 km/h; 31 mph)
Range	4,000 nautical miles (7,000 km) at 20 knots (37 km/h)
Complement	180 (29 officers, 151 enlisted)
Sensors & processing systems	Radar TM 1126 AWS-6 HSA D08 HSA STIR 124 Sonar SQS-56,
Electronic warfare & decoys	ARES-2NC ESM, Mk 36 decoy
Armament	2 Mk 141 quad-pack Launcher for 8 × RGM-84 Harpoon 1 MK 21 Guided Missile Launching System for 16 × RIM-7 Sea Sparrow 1 × 5 inch /54 gun 3 × Oerlikon Contraves Sea Zenith 25 mm CIWS gun systems 2 × 3 12.75 in Mk.32 torpedo tubes in triple mountings
Aviation facilities	Hangar and platform for 1 × AB 212 ASW helicopter

Development and design

Main article: Yavuz-class frigate

Yavuz-class frigates were designed in Germany and are part of the MEKO family of modular warships; in this case the MEKO 200 design. An order for ships was signed by the Turkish government in April 1983 for four MEKO frigates. Two ships were built in Germany and two in Turkey with German assistance. They are similar in design to the larger Barbaros-class frigates of the Turkish Navy, which are improved versions of the Yavuz-class frigate.

The Turkish Navy has an ongoing limited modernization project for an electronic warfare suite. The intent is to upgrade the ships with locally-produced ECM, ECCM systems, active decoys, LWRs, IRST, and the necessary user interface systems.

Construction and career

Yıldırım was launched on 22 July 1988 by Gölcük Naval Shipyard and commissioned on 17 November 1989.^[1]

Standing NATO Maritime Group Two (SNMG2), which consists of Álvaro de Bazán, Regina Maria, and TCG Yıldırım, participated in the bilateral U.S. - Ukraine exercise Sea Breeze 2020, between 20 and 24 July 2020.^[2]

On February 17 2021, Magdeburg, KRI Sultan Hasanuddin, and TCG Yıldırım conducted an exercise in the Mediterranean Sea.^[3]