HETMAN IVAN MAZEPA (F-211)

[john sefton]

Even before the formal start of hostilities between Ukraine and neighboring Russian, the Ukrainian Navy sought to broaden its naval forces by acquisition of a foreign Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) corvette type. Built in Turkey by Turkish shipyards, the result has become the Hetman Ivan Mazepa (F-211), laid down on September 7th, 2021 and formally launched to sea for trials on October 2nd, 2022. The design is based in the Ada-class corvette of Turkish origin, built from 2005 onward, producing four total hulls for the Turkish (4), Pakistani (1 launched, 3 more planned), and Ukrainian navies (1 launched, 1 more planned).

The vessel displaces 2,340 tons under load and has a running length of 326.6 feet with a beam measuring 47.2 feet and a draught down to 12.8 feet. The shallow draught allows the warship to operate close-to-shore to an extent and provide support to land-based forces.

Power is through a COmbined Diesel-And-Gas (CODAG) arrangement for fuel-efficiency depending on action taken. The setup includes a single gas turbine coupled with 2 x Diesel  engines driving power to 2 x Shafts astern. Estimated ocean-going speeds reach nearly 30 knots under full power with a range out to 3,500 nautical miles.
Aboard is a complement of 93 personnel which includes a modest air arm to support a pair of helicopters operated from the stern-based helipad-hangar deck area. A Sikorsky S-70 "Seahawk" type or similar can be launched and retrieved from this section of the ship. The helicopters add a critical over-the-horizon capability for the ship.

The armament suite of this warship is broad, designed to counter the threat posed by several modern day attackers and ranges from ballistic to missile solutions. This includes 1 x 76mm OTO-Melara "Super Rapid" turreted deck gun over the forecastle, 2 x 4-cell Harpoon anti-ship missile launchers, a Vertical Launch System (VLS) for MICA-M anti-aircraft missiles, 2 x 324mm torpedo launchers (MU90 torpedo family), 2 x 35mm Oerlikon Millenium autocannons, and 2 x 12.7mm Aselsan STAMP Close-In Weapon Systems (CIWSs).

The warship is given modern sensors and processing systems that include the GENESIS CMS, SMART-S Mk.2 search radar, and the UniMACs 3000 series IPMS.
Hetman Ivan Mazepa (F-211) represents a considerable upgrade for the naval forces of Ukraine, a country that remains embroiled in a months-long conflict with Russia following the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February of 2022. At the start of the war, the Ukrainian Navy had just fifteen front-line vessels in inventory made up largely of larger aging Cold War-era hulls and smaller, limited OPVs. Nevertheless, the country has been able to keep total control of Black Sea routes from Russia despite the latter's vaunted naval capabilities on paper.