Türkiye’s TCG Alemdar rescue ship visits Plymouth Port, UK
TCG Alemdar in Plymouth harbor, UK, Sep. 6, 2024(Photo obtained by @tcsavunma via X)
According to a statement from Türkiye‘s Ministry of Defense on its official X account, the TCG Alemdar rescue ship made a port visit to Plymouth, UK, from September 2 to 4, 2024. The ship made the visit as part of its transit route to the Dynamic Monarch-24 Exercise, scheduled to take place in Norway from September 8 to 20, 2024.
During the visit, the ship was inspected by Turkish Ambassador to London Osman Koray Ertas, Naval Attache Colonel Kaan Utku, and NATO Maritime Command (MARCOM) Exercise Branch Director Colonel Alpaslan Tatlisuluoglu.
Dynamic Monarch: Enhancing global submarine rescue capabilities
Dynamic Monarch is a triennial NATO-led SMER exercise that focuses on enhancing submarine escape and rescue capabilities. This exercise is an opportunity for NATO and non-NATO nations to collaborate in improving their ability to save lives at sea.
TCG Alemdar will take part in the exercises like it did before, which simulate real-life submarine distress scenarios. NATO’s International Submarine Escape and Rescue Liaison Office (ISMERLO) oversees the coordination of these exercises, ensuring the involvement of both NATO and non-NATO nations.
A-582 TCG Alemdar Submarine Rescue Ship (MOSHIP)
On June 10, 2005, the Turkish Navy initiated the project to enhance its submarine rescue capabilities, and in 2012, Istanbul Shipyard launched the ship. The Turkish Navy commissioned the TCG Alemdar on January 28, 2017.
Capabilities and missions
The TCG Alemdar provides life support to submarine personnel up to 600 meters deep for up to 72 hours using its national and NATO deep-sea rescue equipment. It also performs rescue operations for surface ships, underwater work, and debris removal.
Notable events
On April 9, 2021, it successfully carried out an operation to recover the KT-1T training aircraft that had fallen into the sea off Foca, Izmir.
Capabilities
- Provides life support to submarines unable to surface.
- Rescues personnel from submarines up to 600 meters deep within 72 hours.
- Recovers damaged or stranded ships.
- Performs underwater repairs and debris removal.
General specifications
- Length: 90.8 meters
- Width: 19 meters
- Draft: 4.45 meters
- Displacement: 4200 tons
- Main Propulsion: 2 x 3500 kW diesel engines
- Steel hull structure
- Crew: 130
- Maximum speed: 18 knots
- Standard cruising speed: 14 knots
- Range: 4500 nautical miles (8300 km) at 14 knots
- Search and rescue capability: includes Sea State 6
- Self-defense: 2 x 12.7mm machine guns
Strategic importance for NATO
The TCG Alemdar project has strengthened Türkiye’s collaboration with NATO, improving the interoperability of rescue operations.
Its mission includes rescuing submarines unable to surface, providing emergency life support, and assisting in various other naval rescue operations, such as salvage, towing, and firefighting.
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