Turkish troop transport chooses Tognum

Tognum subsidiary MTU Turkey will supply, beginning in June 2010, a total of 16 MTU Series 4000 engines to power eight Turkish landing ships for transporting tanks and vehicles. The supply scope of the order placed by SSM, the Turkish government authority, includes the gearboxes and the ‘Bluevision MTU ship automation system for propulsion control.

The ships have been designed and dveloped in Turkey, and will ne built at the ADIK shipyard in Istanbu. The landing ships will each be powered by two MTU 16V 4000 M70 diesel engines with a total output of 4,640 kW (6,222 bhp), capable of accelerating the vessels to a speed of 20 knots. The engines are to be delivered between June 2010 and the end of 2012. The technical training of crews, maintenance, and logistical support for the marine propulsion systems will be provided by MTU Turkey.

According to MTU, the landing ships will serve to transport troops and technical equipment by sea, also to secure reinforcements and deliver tanks and other vehicles to otherwise inaccessible coastal areas. They will be used likewise in support of humanitarian operations, the need for which arises due to, for example, the frequently occurring earthquakes in the region.

The company says that the Turkish Navy has endorsed MTU’s propulsion systems for almost 30 years. As part of its modernisation program, the Turkish naval force is equippingvessels such as Milgem-class corvettes or Kilic fast attack boats with MTU propulsion plants.