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TCG ''Ütğm Arif Ekmekçi'' (A-575), also known as TCG ''Üsteğmen Arif Ekmekçi'' (A-575), is a Turkish
auxiliary ship An auxiliary ship is a naval ship designed to support combatant ships and other naval operations. Auxiliary ships are not primary combatant vessels, though they may have some limited combat capacity, usually for purposes of self-defense. Auxili ...
for fleet support of the Turkish Naval Forces, commissioned in January 2024. She was named after a naval special operations officer, who died during a military exercise at sea.


History

On 17 July 2012, the
Defence Industry Agency In Turkey, Defence Industry Agency ( (SSB)); formerly ''Presidency of Defence Industries'' and ''Undersecretariat for Defence Industries (SSM)'' before that, is a civil institution established by the government to manage the Defense industry of Tu ...
(SSB) of the
Ministry of National Defense A ministry of defence or defense (see spelling differences), also known as a department of defence or defense, is the part of a government responsible for matters of defence and military forces, found in states where the government is divide ...
launched a project for the building of two auxiliary ships for fleet support to meet the needs of the Turkish Naval Forces.


Selah Shipyard

A contract was signed between the SSB and Selah Shipyard in Tuzla, Istanbul on 24 November 2014. After project begin in February 2015, it was planned that the first ship in 16 months, and the second ship in 26 months would be completed. The second ship, TCG ''Ütğm Arif Ekmekçi'' (A-575), was launched on 7 July 2017, and the outfitting activities began. In 2018, Selah Shipyard started to experience financial difficulties, and many workers were laid off without compensation. In September 2019, the shipbuilding company declared bankruptcy application to the court due to inability to make payments. The ships remained in the shipyard with their equipment, and sea trial activities were unfinished.


Ada Shipyard

On 9 February 2021, a contract was signed between the SSB and the defence engineering company STM to outfit the unfinished ships, and deliver them to the Turkish Navy as soon as possible. On 24 March 2021, works started at Ada Shipyard in Tuzla, Istanbul.
Sea trial A sea trial or trial trip is the testing phase of a watercraft (including boats, ships, and submarines). It is also referred to as a "shakedown cruise" by many naval personnel. It is usually the last phase of construction and takes place on op ...
s began on 7 July 2023. The ship entered service in the Turkish Navy with a ceremony on 19 January 2024. She was named TCG ''Ütğm Arif Ekmeçi'' after the naval special operations officer, who died during a naval exercise, and with the hull number A-575.


Characteristics

The ship is long, and has a beam of . Her displacement tonnage is . She has a range of at . The ship is capable of carrying of F-76 diesel fuel, of JP-5 helicopter fuel, of drinking water and 8 standard containers. The vessel features of storage space, an electro-hydraulic crane with lifting capacity and a
helipad A helipad is the landing area of a heliport, in use by helicopters, powered lift, and vertical lift aircraft to land on surface. While helicopters and powered lift aircraft are able to operate on a variety of relatively flat surfaces, a fa ...
of load capacity. She is armed with two 12.7 mm Aselsan STAMP stabilized machine guns. The number of ship's crew is 82.


Namesake

Arif Ekmekçi was born to Yılmaz and Kadun Ekmekçi in Tirebolu,
Giresun Province Giresun Province (Greek language, Greek : Κερασούντα, ; ) is a Provinces of Turkey, province of Turkey on the Black Sea coast. Its adjacent provinces are Trabzon Province, Trabzon to the east, Gümüşhane Province, Gümüşhane to the ...
, northern Turkey on 14 February 1964. He entered Naval High School at Heybeliada in
Istanbul Istanbul is the List of largest cities and towns in Turkey, largest city in Turkey, constituting the country's economic, cultural, and historical heart. With Demographics of Istanbul, a population over , it is home to 18% of the Demographics ...
. After finishing his secondary education in 1982, he continued his military education in the
Naval Academy A naval academy provides education for prospective naval officers. List of naval academies See also

* Military academy {{Authority control Naval academies, Naval lists ...
at Tuzla, Istanbul, and graduated in 1986. He then took training at the Underwater Attack Commando () course, and became an underwater operation specialist officer in 1991. The next year, he married. On 15 April 1993, Arif Ekmekçi, in the rank of a
Lieutenant (junior grade) Lieutenant junior grade is a junior commissioned officer rank used in a number of navies. United States Lieutenant (junior grade), commonly abbreviated as LTJG or, historically, Lt. (j.g.) (as well as variants of both abbreviations), i ...
, (), was tasked to simulate an escape from a submarine underwater together with a teammate during the naval exercise "Deniz Kurdu-93" ("Sea Wolf-93") off the coast of
Amasra Amasra (from Greek language, Greek Amastris Ἄμαστρις, ''gen''. Ἀμάστριδος) is a small Black Sea port town in the Bartın Province, Turkey. It is the seat of Amasra District.Black Sea The Black Sea is a marginal sea, marginal Mediterranean sea (oceanography), mediterranean sea lying between Europe and Asia, east of the Balkans, south of the East European Plain, west of the Caucasus, and north of Anatolia. It is bound ...
. He and his teammate simultaneously exited the submarine, however, Ekmekçi could not get to the surface. Search and rescue efforts remained unsuccessful, only his diving fins were found. In December 2007,
diving suit A diving suit is a garment or device designed to protect a diver from the underwater environment. A diving suit may also incorporate a breathing gas supply (such as for a standard diving dress or atmospheric diving suit), but in most cases th ...
s containing human bone fragments were caught in the nets of fishermen fishing off the coast of Amasra. In case the body belonged to Arif Ekmekçi, a blood sample was taken from the mother, and a bone sample was taken from the body in the father's grave. After a ten-month DNA test process, it became clear that the body belonged to Arif Ekmekçi. In August 2008, his remains were buried in Edirnekapı Martyr's Cemetery in Istanbul.


Sister ship

*


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Utgm Arif Ekmekci (A-575) Auxiliary ships of the Turkish Navy 2017 ships Ships built in Istanbul Military vehicles introduced in the 2020s