Commissioned this April, the Turkish Navy’s German-designed Sakarya is the second Type 209/1400-class submarine to be completed at Gölçük Naval Shipyard, Kocaeli. The first, the Preveze, was commissioned in 1994, and two more, the 18 Mart and Anafartalar, are under construction for completion in 1998 and 1999. Previously, the yard had assembled three of the Turkish Navy’s half-dozen earlier Type 209/1200 submarines (completed 1981-89), and it recently has been marketing its construction services to Malaysia, which is considering acquiring submarines. As with all German overseas submarine projects, however, a considerable portion of the internal components—and even complex parts of the pressure hull—must be imported. Russian Black Sea Fleet leaders are fond of pointing out that, while their ow n submarine force is reduced to but one operational boat in the area, the Turkish Navy confronts them with no less than 17 submarines.
PB 1, seen here at Aruba, is one of four existing Netherlands Antilles police patrol boats that are to be incorporated into the new Netherlands Antilles and Aruba Coast Guard, which is to be established formally on 1 January 1998. To flesh out the initial force, bids were requested by 1 October 1996 for the construction of three 115-foot, 26-knot seagoing patrol craft with a seven- day endurance; two 50-plus knot interceptor craft to combat drug and contraband smugglers; and a half-dozen 40-knot, 20- to 23-foot rigid inflatable patrol launches, plus trailers and tow vehicles. The Royal Netherlands Navy is to supply 23 of the 158 planned personnel for the initial force, including a senior officer to act as its commandant. Bases are to be established at Curasao, Aruba, and St. Maarten, and two P-3C Orion maritime reconnaissance aircraft are to be loaned to the organization.
The retired but still active 65-foot Sea Spectre I’B Mk III-class patrol boat 65PB777, unofficially named Plymouth, is shown operating from Patuxent Naval Air Station, Maryland, during August in support of trials for the Systems and Electronics, Inc. (SE1), Valkyrie naval weapon system. In the configuration shown, the fully-stabilized mounting is fitted with a 25-mm Mk 38 Bushmaster chain gun and has an open operator’s cupola to starboard and an ammunition bin to port. Guns of 30-, 35-, and 40-mm bore also can be accommodated, as can a variety of on- and off-mount fire-control options. The operator’s cupola can be furnished in open or closed configuration or, in fully automatic installations, can be replaced by a second ammunition bin. The Valkyrie system also can be equipped with surface-to-air missiles such as Stinger, surface-to-surface missiles such as Hellfire, or unguided rocket pods.