ISTANBUL, 24 January, 2021, (TON): Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday has launched indigenous frigate Istanbul (F-515) as part of the MILGEM project, a national warship program.

Istanbul F-515 Frigate was designed with national resources, and over 75 percent of its systems are of indigenous manufacture, according to the Turkish Presidency of Defense Industries.

Speaking at the launching ceremony of Istanbul (F-515) Frigate Erdogan Turkey is among the 10 countries that can design, build, and maintain its own warship, and the country's navy will be in a "very strong position" with five major projects in the coming five years.

The 113-meter-long frigate would perform advanced air defense and surface warfare, antisubmarine warfare, and patrol activities, the presidency said.

"Turkey meets needs of friendly and allied countries as well as itself in terms of land and sea vehicles," Erdogan said, adding Ankara can overcome challenges and embargoes posed by global suppliers through its own strength.

It is expected to be delivered to Turkey's Naval Forces Command in 2023.

Within the scope of the project, which consists of building eight ships in total, Turkey had launched four frigates in recent years.

The MİLGEM project is a Turkish national warship program, the purpose of which is to build a modern littoral combat warship with indigenous anti-submarine warfare and high-seas patrol capabilities, extensively using the principles of stealth technology in its design including reconnaissance, surveillance, early warning, surface-to-surface and surface-to-air warfare, and amphibious operations.