Turkey starts sea trials of 76-mm naval artillery gun

A new Turkish naval artillery 76/62 mm caliber gun was installed for sea trials on the TCG Beykoz corvette (F-503) of the national Navy.

This was reported by the Ministry of National Defense of the Republic of Turkey.

Integration of the naval artillery gun on the warship took place when ground tests successfully completed.

The naval artillery gun is awaiting port and sea testing on the TCG Beykoz corvette.

The naval artillery gun was developed jointly with the Istanbul Shipyards Command and the Machinery and Chemical Industry Corporation (MKE A.Ş). The Turkish Ministry of National Defense took design and operation responsibility.

The first test firing from the naval artillery gun was carried out at the beginning of December last year.

The first stage of testing was attended by the country’s top military leadership, including the Turkish Defense Minister and representatives of the developer.

The declared action radius of the gun is up to 20 kilometers, the ammunition contains 70 shells, the fire rate is 80 rounds per minute. The weight of the equipped naval artillery gun is 8,500 kg.

The development of the new system lasted a year.

According to the director of MKE Yasin Akdere, the project was launched due to possible high procurement costs and a long production schedule of the 76-mm OTO Melara naval guns of the Italian company Leonardo.

The Turkish Navy uses OTO Melara naval guns on a series of Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigates, Ada corvettes (MILGEM), and Kılıç missile boats.

If two remaining test processes are successfully completed, the nationally developed naval gun will be adopted by the Turkish Armed Forces.