Barbaros Class frigates feature anti surface warfare, anti submarine warfare, and anti-aircraft warfare capabilities.
The Turkish Navy operates four Barbaros-class frigates. The first two ships, the F-244 and the F-245, were built in Germany, and the last two, the F-246 and F-247, were built in Turkey with German assistance. The Barbaros-class frigates are considered one of the most modern frigates of the Turkish Navy.
The Barbaros class is part of the MEKO group of modular warships, in this case the MEKO 200 design. The ships have a full load displacement of 3,350 tons, a length of 116.7m, a width of 118m, a beam of 14.8m, and a draft of 4.25m. The crew includes 24 officers and 156 enlisted men. The stern-based helipad supports one medium-lift navy helicopter or similar.
Barbaros Class frigates feature anti surface warfare, anti submarine warfare, and anti-aircraft warfare capabilities. The ship is fitted with a Mk 41 Mod.8 vertical launch system for firing 16 Sea Sparrow surface-to-air missiles. There are two Mk 141 quad launchers for eight RGM-84 Harpoon anti-ship missiles.
The main gun fitted forward is a MK 45 mod 1 lightweight gun. It can fire 16 to 20 rounds a minute for a maximum range of 13 nautical miles. Three Oerlikon Contraves Sea Zenith 25mm CIWS mounted on the vessel provide close-point defence against anti-ship missiles and other incoming missiles and rockets. The four barrelled CIWS has a rate of fire of 3,400 rounds a minute and a maximum range of 2km.
For Anti-submarine warfare, there are two MK 32 triple torpedo launch tubes firing lightweight torpedoes including Mk 44, Mk 46, Sting Ray and A244S.
On April 3, 2018 a contract was signed between ASELSAN–HAVELSAN Joint Venture and the secretariat for Defense Industry regarding the Barbaros Class Frigate mid-life upgrade project. Project includes a heavy upgrade which including new weapons systems, a new combat management system, new radars and sensors, replacing current mast with an integrated mast and various upgrades. All 4 ships are included in this project. Expected finish year for project is 2025.
The mid-life modernization program projects to double the number of anti-ship missiles that vessel is equipped with while also replacing it by locally designed and produced Atmaca anti-ship missiles, substitution of the Oerlikon Sea Zenith CIWS systems with 1 Phalanx and 1 Aselsan Gokdeniz CIWS, change the existing TACTICOS combat management system with Havelsan “B-SYS Combat Management System” and adopt a 127mm main gun to the frigates. With significant upgrades, the Barbaros class is expected to be the steel punch of the Turkish Navy both now and in the future.
