03.09.2026 13:01
The U.S. Navy and the White House are evaluating frigate designs from Turkey, Japan, and South Korea for a new class of warship. Following the meeting between President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and U.S. President Donald Trump at the NATO Summit in July, the U.S. Navy has put the Istanbul-class guided-missile frigate under scrutiny. It has been reported that the U.S. Congress is in the process of deciding whether to approve the import of the ships.
The U.S. Naval Institute's publication USNI News brought up a striking claim. It was reported that the Washington administration, aiming to restructure the U.S. Navy and the shipbuilding industry through collaboration with reliable allies, has taken into consideration the frigate designs of Turkey, South Korea, and Japan for a new class of warship to be produced.
In the news, based on three sources from the shipbuilding sector, it was stated that the White House and the U.S. Navy are scrutinizing the frigate designs of these three countries for a new tender to be opened. It was noted that the plan might also include the construction of two ships in foreign shipyards before the production process is fully transferred to the U.S.
TURKEY'S FRIGATE ON THE U.S. RADAR
Among the designs under evaluation are the "Istanbul-class" guided-missile frigate built in Turkish shipyards, as well as the "Chungnam-class" frigate produced in South Korean shipyards, and the export-oriented version of the "FFM Mogami-class" frigate by Japanese company Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.
IT CAME TO THE AGENDA AFTER THE ERDOGAN-TRUMP MEETING
According to sources, the decision to evaluate the "Istanbul-class" came after the meeting between President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and U.S. President Donald Trump held during the NATO Summit in Ankara in July. The news highlighted the U.S. tradition of using domestically produced warships for over a century, stating that the move to procure warships from foreign countries could be a turning point for the U.S.
TRUMP HAD SIGNED A PRESIDENTIAL MEMORANDUM
Last month, U.S. President Donald Trump signed a presidential memorandum aimed at strengthening the U.S. Navy's capacity and the country's shipbuilding industry. The memorandum paved the way for foreign shipbuilders meeting certain conditions to temporarily build a maximum of 2 ships for the U.S. Navy in shipyards in their own countries. The regulation aimed to address the gap in the U.S.'s current shipbuilding capacity in the short term and to utilize foreign companies' investment, technology, and experience in developing shipbuilding capacity in the U.S.