Turkey prepares to unveil homemade warshipsSeptember 26, 2011 - 12:43 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Turkey’s first major domestically made warship, the TCG Heybeliada, will be formally delivered to the Turkish Navy on Tuesday, September 27, Hurriyet Daily News reported. A second ship of the same “corvette” class – small, maneuverable and lightly armed – will be put to sea at an Istanbul ceremony expected to be attended by President Abdullah Gül. The Turkish Navy’s moves come amid rising tensions with Israel in the eastern Mediterranean. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Defense Minister İsmet Yılmaz, Chief of General Staff Gen. Necdet Özel and other dignitaries will also attend the ceremony at the Turkish Navy’s Pendik shipyard in Istanbul. The TCG Heybeliada and the TCG Büyükada, which will be put to sea from the Pendik shipyard, are the first two ships in Turkey’s MİLGEM program, from the Turkish words “Milli Gemi” (National Ship). The program calls for the design, development, outfitting, integration and construction of 12 patrol and anti-submarine warships, four of them optional, produced with the eventual objective of exporting the vessels to allied and friendly countries.   Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot".   Partner news |  Latest news Ruling MPs, Foreign Minister talk Armenia-Azerbaijan processes  MOs from the ruling Civil Contract party met with the Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan in the Armenian parliament.Russia: Armenia’s frozen membership weakens CSTO position in Caucasus A Russian envoy said any step that could alienate the CSTO member states from each other is “deeply wrong”.Prosecutors to appeal Armenia ex-President’s acquittal Sargsyan was acquitted on Friday, May 31 more than four years after going on trial on corruption charges.Armenia: 28 protesters arrested after clash with police The Investigative Committee of Armenia has announced the arrest of 28 participants of an opposition demonstration. |
