Contract awarded for building Turkish Navy LPD

ANKARA, Turkey, May 12 (UPI) -- Turkish shipyard Sedef is to construct the country's first Landing Dock Platform under a contract awarded by the state defense procurement agency.

Forecast International said the Ministry of Defense's Undersecretariat for Defense Industries, or SSM, issued the contract worth nearly $1 billion after Sedef was named preferred supplier for the new ship in late 2013.

Sedef is partnering with Spanish shipyard Navantia on the project for the 758-foot vessel scheduled to be completed by 2021.

Navantia will provide the design, transfer of technology, equipment and technical assistance to Sedef, which will build the LDP locally. The ship's design is based on the Landing Helicopter Dock ship Juan Carlos I of the Spanish Navy, adapted to Turkish Navy requirements.

Navantia said that under its agreement with Sedef, it will also provide several components and systems for the Turkish vessel, including its engines and integrated platform management system.

The Turkish Navy LPD will feature four helicopter landing spots and hangar space and an aft flooding deck for landing craft. It will be able to transport more than 1,000 troops and 150 vehicles.