Turkey begins the construction of the LHD vessel of the Juan Carlos I class with NAVANTIA’s design
30 April 2016 | Tuzla (Turquía),
- The President of the Turkish Republic, Mr. Recep Tayid Erdogan, attended today the ceremony of the first steel plate cutting
- “The transfer of technology constitutes one of the key future lnes in shipbuilding for NAVANTIA”, stressed the Chairman of this company
- NAVANTIA provides a consolidated and successfully tested design, besides of the systems and engines
- It entails almost 1 Million hours of work for NAVANTIA, mostly in engineering
Turkey began today the construction of the landing helicopter dock (LHD) of the Juan Carlos I class, which it builds with NAVANTIA’s design, with the ceremony of the first cut of steel at the Turkish shipyard SEDEF, at its facilities in the Tuzla Bay. The event was attended by the President of the Turkish Republic, Mr. Recep Tayip Erdogan. This landmark constitutes the start of the construction of the ship, and it is the first celebration of the entry into force of the contract.
On behalf of NAVANTIA the ceremony was attended by its Chairman, Mr. José Manuel Revuelta, its Commercial Director, Mr. Gonzalo Mateo-Guerrero, and by the Head for the Turkish LHD program, Mr. Ricardo Biarge, as well as by the members of the Turkish Delegation and the members of the Team with Residence on the Turkish shipyard SEDEF. Also present were the Spanish Ambassador to Ankara, Mr. Rafael Mendivil, and the military attaché, Colonel Mr. Felipe Sánchez.
The Landing Helicopter Dock will bear the number L-408 and will be named “TCG Anadolu”. NAVANTIA participates in this contract, which came into force on September 18th, 2015, as the technological partner, between the Turkish shipyard SEDEF and the Turkish Undersecretary Office for the Defense Industries (SSM).
The Company supplies to SEDEF, for the on-site construction, the design, the transfer of technology, equipment and technical assistance. The design, based on the LHD “Juan Carlos I” of the Spanish Navy, has been adapted to the requirements of the Turkish Navy.
It presents the great advantage of being a proven design, which has proved its great capabilities since its delivery. NAVANTIA has already built three vessels of this type, Juan Carlos I for the Spanish Navy and two along the same lines for the Royal Australian Navy, the Canberra and the Adelaide. This will make possible to begin the construction of the Turkish LHD eight months after the coming into force of the contract, an extremely short term for such an extremely complex vessel.
NAVANTIA’s Chairman, Mr. Revuelta, regards as very significant for the Spanish industry the capability of exporting technology. He highlighted that “one of the future lines for the shipbuilding industry is the transfer of technology, and that is why having programs ongoing such as the construction of the LHD for Turkey constitutes a strategic priority for NAVANTIA”.
Besides of the design, NAVANTIA supplies the engines and the systems
The equipment supplied by NAVANTIA are 5 diesel generator groups, and the Integrated Platform Management System, which will be developed at its facilities in Cartagena.
It is envisaged that the vessel will be delivered in 2021. It is forecasted that this contract will provide to NAVANTIA’s shipyards, as well as to the Engines and Systems Business of the Company, around 1 Million hours fo work, of which around 900,000 hours are for engineering and 100,000 hours for production.
This contract entails the consolidation of NAVANTIA as a world reference in the market of large amphibious landing vessels of the LPD/LHD type, as well as its entry into the Turkish market. This country has an ambitious plan for future programs, among them the purchase of air warfare frigates, something on which NAVANTIA is strongly working through its delegation in Turkey, which it set up in 2013.
About NAVANTIA
NAVANTIA constitutes a world reference in the design, construction and integration of warships with a high-technological content, as well as ship repairs and upgrades. Besides, its activity lines include the design and manufacturing of combat and command and control systems, integrated platform management systems, firing control systems, propulsion engines and the Life Cycle Support for all its products. Although its main activity is in the naval field, NAVANTIA also designs and manufactures systems for the Army and the Air Force.
NAVANTIA belongs to Grupo SEPI, a corporate holding which includes a total of 16 state-owned companies in which it has direct, majority shareholding participations, with a workforce of around 73,000 professionals in 2014; the Spanish state-owned television and radio corporation, Corporación Radiotelevisión Española, which is attached to SEPI, and one public foundation. Equally, SEPI has direct minority shareholdings in a further ten companies, and indirect shareholdings in more than one hundred companies.