An undisclosed African country has ordered two landing ships from Turkey’s Anadolu Shipyard.
Announcing the order on 19 July, Anadolu Shipyard said the vessels will be delivered within two years, but gave no further details other than to say its vessels “are in demand by many countries.”
Under its previous deliveries catalogue the shipyard lists several models, including a 138.75 metre long tank landing ship (LST) with a displacement of 7 400 tons; a 40 metre long landing craft, mechanised (LCM), displacing 147 tons; a 15.7 metre long vehicle and personnel landing craft displacing 25 tons; and a 79.9 metre long tank landing craft displacing 1 156 tons; as well as an 89 metre long cadet training ship.
Various designs are offered by the shipyard, including patrol boats, offshore patrol vessels, emergency rescue and diver support boats, and a tank landing ship with a helicopter deck, as well as troop carriers, ambulance vessels, logistics ships, training boats and landing ships of various sizes.
Earlier this month the shipyard handed over four landing ships to Qatar’s navy, including a fast amphibious ship, two mechanised landing ships and one vehicle and personnel landing ship. Qatar is one of the shipyard’s biggest military export customers. Last February, Qatar commissioned a cadet training ship, Al Shamal, from Anadolu Shipyard – the second largest ship to be constructed and exported by the private sector in Turkey.
Anadolu Shipyard was established in the 1950s and now specialises in naval vessels, particularly landing and amphibious command ships. It has supplied numerous military vessels to the Turkish Navy.
African nations have of late ordered a number of landing ships from overseas shipyards. The Nigerian Navy, for example, received the Damen-built tank landing ship NNS Kada on 27 May and revealed efforts were being made to acquire a sister ship. The Nigerian Navy recently signed a contract with Dearsan Shipyard of Turkey for the construction of two 76 metre High Endurance Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs).
