After four Ada Class corvettes built for the Turkish Navy, STM started cooperation agreements for Class I frigates. It is aimed to increase the rate of domestic components in Istanbul Frigate, which is the fifth vessel of the MILGEM Project and first-class I ship.

STM was commissioned as the main contractor to cover the ship's design, weapon-electronic systems and main propulsion system responsibilities. In the project, where ASELSAN and HAVELSAN are the main business partners, around 80 subcontractors will work for more than 150 systems. In total, the number of contracted and ordered companies is 220.

In the Class I Frigate Contract, the system and solution providers were designed to be the same as those of previous MİLGEM ships and the project was started with existing domestic companies.

With the research and studies carried out in this process, domestic companies that meet the specified technical demands and foreign product / system requirements in terms of performance can also be included in the project with the acceptance of customers and without any calendar and budget effects.

Two-thirds of the around 80 subcontractors, of which the system is acquired, are domestic and one-third are foreign companies.

Domestic suppliers will provide ship's weapon electronic systems and ship electrical system, auxiliary machinery systems (diesel generator sets, integrated platform control and monitoring system, CBRN units and detection and diagnostic system, coveralls, valves, electrical power systems, cables, tables and panels, air compressors, fire extinguishing systems and so on), equipment necessary for life support systems (heating, ventilation and air conditioning system, fresh water production system, living spaces furniture equipment, service areas, hot water system and so on), navigation equipment (helm kit, vehicle mat provides platform systems such as capstans, fairings, hangar doors, torpedo barrel spaces, starboard piers and so on.

In the electrical system, 185 kilometres of domestic production electric cables and 2,675 lighting fixtures will be used. STM prepared the design documents for the assembly of all the equipment and materials produced on board.

In the project, the majority of domestic suppliers, other than STM's main business partners, are medium-sized or SME level companies. Contract volumes across the contract are at the level of two-thirds of industrial producers and technology-oriented domestic suppliers.

The majority of STM's suppliers involved in the project operate in the Istanbul and Kocaeli regions. There are also sub-contractors in Ankara, İzmir and Eskişehir.

Integrated work and coordination with subcontractors are provided in the marine projects carried out, allowing companies to further develop their systems for future projects.

While the Ada class MİLGEM corvettes reach nearly 72 percent domestic rate in the platform systems (excluding the main drive system), it is aimed to be at least 75 percent in the class I frigates.

The main feature that distinguishes the Class I frigate from other Ada class corvettes is the hardware changes or additions to the weapon systems. Due to this change, the length of the ship was extended by 10 meters and some structural changes were made.

The first of class I frigates, Istanbul's block constructions and welding works are still ongoing. The ship is expected to be launched in January 2021. Following the system integration activities to be carried out in the dry-dock, it is planned to start port acceptance tests in May 2022, cruise acceptance tests in January 2023 and deliver the Istanbul Frigate to the Naval Forces Command in September 2023.