Armenian, Assyrian and Hellenic Genocide News

Turkey buys A 69s from France
by Jane's Navy International - January 1, 2001
Posted: Friday, January 05, 2001 10:12 am CST

Turkey is to buy six D'Estienne D'Orves (Type A 69)-class frigates from France.

The deal comes despite political friction after the French senate's criticism of Turkey's treatment of Armenians during the First World War, although a French government source told JNI that diplomatic relations should not affect the frigate deal.

Three "Avisos" - Quartier Maitre Anquetil, Commandant de Pimodan and Commandant Drogon should be delivered in mid-2001, after routine maintenance work.

Decommissioned by the French in 1999, the 25-year-old frigates will be renamed Bandirma, Bozcaada and Bodrum.

DCN International will overhaul two more decommissioned vessels (D'Estienne D'Orves and Amyot d'Inville). Work will be done on the propulsion systems, engines and weapons systems, before the vessels (renamed Beycoz and Bartin) are delivered at the beginning of 2002.

Second Maitre Le Bihan is still in service with the French Navy but will be decommissioned in 2002 and directly transferred to the Turkish Navy as Bafra.

The French Ministry of Defence also confirmed that under a separate agreement the Turkish Navy will buy Exocet MM38 SSMs for use on the A 69s, which are already Exocet-capable.

With a purchase price of around US$60 million, plus US$150 million worth of maintenance and overhauling work, the 1,250-ton full loaddisplacement vessels may serve as a stopgap measure while Turkey negotiates the construction of a new class of corvettes under the National Vessel (Mil Gem) programme.

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