ARES Shipyard, which has made a name for itself with the success it has achieved in the field of export, signed a memorandum of understanding with ASFAT during the IDEF 2021 defence exhibition in Turkey for the patrol ship requirement of the Bangladesh Coast Guard Command. It was stated that this cooperation agreement, which forms the basis of a government-to-government (G2G) export contract, will be implemented as soon as possible.
The platforms that the company focused on promoting at the fair were ARES 150 HERCULES Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) and ARES 95 FAMB (Fast Attack Missile Boat / Assault Boat).
ARES 150 HERCULES, 48 m long, can reach speeds of 40 knots per hour. Built using full vacuum infusion technology and composite material, the ship can operate up to 6 sea states. Having a cruising range of 1,600 nautical miles, ARES 150 HERCULES does not need a potable water supply during the mission, as it has a reverse osmosis system. To be used against conventional and asymmetric threats on the ship equipped with various electro-optical sensors; There is 1 GUARDIAN and 2 STAMP remote-controlled weapon systems. 30 mm automatic cannon on the GUARD; On the STAMP, there is a 12.7 mm machine gun. In addition, 2 ARES 24 HARPOON Emergency Response Boats can be deployed on the stern of the ship for the use of special operations teams.
Özgün Utku Alanç, General Manager of ARES Shipyard, underlines that ARES 150 HERCULES, which was selected as the World’s Best Offshore Patrol Ship in 2018 by a foreign media organisation, is also the largest composite hulled offshore patrol ship ever built in Turkey.
ARES 95 FAMB, which is designed as a new generation gunboat to perform hit-and-run missions that require high speed and maneuverability, can carry guided missiles. This 29 m long and aluminum hull ship has a top speed of 50 knots per hour. The ship can be equipped with remote-controlled weapon systems with automatic cannons for its own close defense and firing at ground targets. The ARES 95 FAMB platform is especially is suitable for European, African, and Middle Eastern countries and this was evinced by the representatives of the naval forces who showed great attention to it during the IDEF 2021 defence exhibition. Stating that the ARES 95 FAMB platform has the same firepower as a conventional gunboat, Alanç points out that this platform is a much more cost-effective solution, considering the initial supply costs, life cycle costs, and personnel requirements.
