Canada’s OSI Geospatial recently said that it has signed a contract to provide up to eight warship navigation systems to the Turkish Navy with deliveries beginning in the third quarter of 2009.
“This is our first project with the Turkish navy and we are pleased to be involved in this important program,” Ken Kirkpatrick, president and CEO of OSI Geospatial, said. “We are committed to expanding our business relationship with this new customer and I believe this project will provide us the opportunity.”
The Turkish corvette program will build a modern littoral combat warship with indigenous capabilities, extensively using the principles of stealth technology in its design.
The construction of the first MILGEM-class corvette, TCG Heybeliada, began on July, 26, 2005. Heybeliada was put to sea on Sept. 27, 2008, and is scheduled to be completed by Oct., 25, 2010, when it will start undergoing full sea trials before its official commissioning. It is expected to enter service in 2011.
A total of 12 MILGEM-class warships (eight corvettes and four frigates) are planned to be built for the Turkish navy, with possible exports to other countries.