Turkish shipbuilding consortium TAIS signed a $1 billion agreement with Qatar’s Barzan Holdings at the DIMDEX 2026 exhibition in Doha. The deal covers the construction of two frigates for the Indonesian Navy.
First, TAIS announced the agreement through its official social media platforms. Shortly after, Qatar’s Ministry of Defense confirmed the contract and disclosed its financial value. Meanwhile, Barzan Holdings clarified that the agreement supports Indonesia’s armed forces.
Earlier, in June 2025, TAIS signed a memorandum of understanding with Indonesia during the Indo Defence 2024 exhibition. Therefore, the DIMDEX deal represents a continuation of earlier defense cooperation between the two countries.
According to details shared at the exhibition, Indonesia will receive the sixth and eighth ships of the I-class frigate program. These vessels correspond to the second and fourth frigates in the I-class series.
Within the MILGEM program, Türkiye produced four ADA-class corvettes before launching the I-class line. The Turkish Navy introduced the first I-class frigate, TCG Istanbul, as the program’s lead ship.
Barzan Holdings will finance the agreement by extending a loan to Indonesia. This arrangement allows Indonesia to proceed with the acquisition while supporting Türkiye’s shipbuilding industry.
As a result, two frigates initially allocated to the Turkish Navy will now enter the export program. TAIS had planned these ships as future TCG Izmir and TCG Icel. However, the consortium will construct two new frigates to replace them.
At present, TAIS continues work on seven I-class frigates across its affiliated shipyards. This progress highlights Türkiye’s expanding naval production capacity and industrial coordination.
Officials held the signing ceremony during DIMDEX 2026 in Doha. Sheikh Saud bin Abdulrahman bin Hassan Al-Thani attended the event alongside senior military and government officials. Qatar’s Ministry of Defense later confirmed the agreement in an official statement.
Previously, Türkiye exported four ADA-class corvettes to Pakistan and continues delivery operations. In addition, Turkish shipyards have supplied naval vessels to Ukraine, Malaysia, and Romania under the MILGEM export framework.
The I-class frigate program aims to replace Türkiye’s aging Yavuz-class frigates. Designers developed the platform as an advanced evolution of the ADA-class corvette.
The Turkish Navy commissioned TCG Istanbul in January 2024. Since then, TAIS has launched TCG Izmir, TCG Izmit, and TCG Icel. Moreover, shipyards launched another hull in September 2025.
Each I-class frigate measures 113.2 meters in length and displaces about 3,000 tons. The vessels use CODAG propulsion and exceed speeds of 29 knots. Additionally, they can operate up to 5,700 nautical miles at cruising speed.
Turkish manufacturers supply nearly 80 percent of onboard systems. Weaponry includes ATMACA anti-ship missiles, a 76mm main gun, and the GOKDENIZ close-in defense system. The ships also deploy HISAR air-defense missiles through the MIDLAS vertical launch system.
Finally, more than 220 Turkish companies contribute to over 150 integrated systems in the program. Consequently, the project strengthens Türkiye’s defense industry while expanding its global naval footprint.
