Turkish Stealth Ship Kinaliada Arrives in Japan on Path to Join Ukrainian Navy

The defining feature of the Kınalıada is its hull, designed with ultimate stealth in mind. To diffuse enemy radar reflections, the superstructure of the ship has significant inclines. It is armed with Turkey’s domestically produced anti-ship missile, the “Atmaca.” While the U.S. Navy’s anti-ship missile “Harpoon” has a range of about 140 km, the “Atmaca” boasts a range of approximately 220 km.

 

Currently, stealth warships have become the mainstream in navies around the world. The emergence of the “Ada” class has garnered attention, leading the Turkish government to decide on exporting the “Ada” class. Ukraine became the first export destination.

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Since the annexation of Crimea in 2014, the Ukrainian Navy has lost a number of ships. Given the tense standoff with Russia across the Black Sea, maintaining military balance has become urgent, making the deployment of the latest warships a priority. Consequently, Ukraine decided to purchase the Ada-class ships and began construction at the Istanbul Naval Shipyard in 2021. 

The following year, Russia’s military invasion began, turning Ukraine into a battleground. Despite this, construction in Turkey continued. In 2022, the ship was launched and named “Hetman Ivan Mazepa.” Although the project has experienced delays, it is expected to enter service by the end of 2024. Additionally, in 2023, the construction of the second ship, “Hetman Ivan Vihovsky,” also commenced. Once these two ships are completed, they are likely to be sent to the front lines against Russia..

The Kınalıada conducted public tours each time it docked to foster goodwill with the Japanese people. At Tokyo Port, a long line formed from the morning. As a state-of-the-art vessel, photography inside the ship was prohibited, yet the line of visitors remained constant. Many of the visitors could not have anticipated that this very ship, or its sister vessels, would end up engaging in conflict with Russia.