Istanbul-class frigate, also ordered by Indonesia, enters US Navy design review
The Turkish TAIS design is among foreign frigates the US Navy is studying to speed up procurement, with the review due to the White House by 12 November.
The Istanbul-class frigate design built by Turkey's TAIS consortium has entered the US Navy's review of foreign surface combatant designs, according to a report by Republika citing USNI News and CNA analysis. The Turkish design is shortlisted alongside Japan's Mogami class and South Korea's Chungnam class as Washington seeks ways to accelerate its frigate program, with the review due to be delivered to the White House by 12 November.
Indonesia ordered two frigates of the same class from the Turkish consortium in a contract signed on 26 July 2025, with follow-up cooperation involving Qatar's Barzan Holdings from January 2026. The program covers new construction from the keel up, including combat systems, training, and depot-level maintenance capability that Indonesia's defense ministry policy requires programs to inherit domestically. For the Indonesian program, the US review adds a layer of international validation to the platform's quality, and industry watchers are tracking which Turkish and local shipyard partners will carry the Indonesian build and its long-term maintenance ecosystem.