Türkiye marked the delivery of four new naval platforms on 19 January 2024, with a ceremony to welcome Türkiye’s first national frigate, TCG İstanbul (F-515), and the TCG Derya, a  Replenishment at Sea and Combat Support Ship (DIMDEG) that is the second largest ship in the Türkiye Naval Fleet. 

Also featured was the Logistics Support Ship, TCG UTGM. Arif Ekmekçi, and the Marlin uncrewed surface vehicle (USC).

Present at the "Power in the Blue Homeland: New Naval Platforms Delivery Ceremony”, Türkiye President Recep Tayyap Erdogǎn hailed the Marlin USV as the first USV in the world with an electronic warfare (EW) capability, emphasising its role in electronic attack and support, while also mentioning its capacity for fully autonomous intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR).

In a release from Savunma Teknolojileri Mühendislik (STM), the main contractor for the UTGM. Arif Ekmekçi and the second ship in the project for the Türkiye Navy, the Logistics Supply Ship was described as a vessel capable of replenishing fuel at sea with a range of 9,500 nautical miles.  

The İstanbul was hailed as one of the most advanced frigates in the world, according to STM. Özgür Güleryüz, general manager of STM, stated that much of the production was indigenous, and that STM’s targets for domestic supply were exceeded: “The targeted localisation rate for the Istanbul frigate was 75 percent, – a figure that we managed to increase to 80 percent through our efforts under the leadership of the SSB.”

"TCG İstanbul has thus taken the crown as the warship with the highest localisation rate in Türkiye,” added Güleryüz.

“Our national frigate will serve as an important deterrent for our country in the world's seas thanks to its national electronic warfare systems, which have a high localisation rate, its new generation national combat management system and its ability to launch air-guided projectiles.”