Ukraine's second Ada-class corvette enters final construction stage in Istanbul
Construction of the Ada-class corvette Hetman Ivan Vygovsky for the Ukrainian Navy has reached its final stage in Istanbul. Ukrainian Presidential Office chief Kyrylo Budanov met the ship's commander and crew, who are preparing for sea trials and the vessel's eventual transfer to Ukraine.
Key points
- The corvette Hetman Ivan Vygovsky is nearing completion at STM's shipyard in Istanbul.
- It is the second Ada-class corvette built by STM for the Ukrainian Navy, following Hetman Ivan Mazepa.
- Kyrylo Budanov met the ship's commander, Captain 2nd Rank Yurii Pyshchyk, and spoke with the crew.
- Budanov said the sailors were in a combat-ready mood and that their training was fully under way.
- The corvette was launched on 1 August 2024.
- Next are the ship's first sea voyage, sea trials and transfer to Ukraine.
- The Ada class displaces slightly more than 2,000 tonnes and has a maximum speed of 29 knots.
Why it matters
Hetman Ivan Vygovsky is the second Ada-class anti-submarine corvette built by STM for Ukraine. Its completion and transfer to the Ukrainian Navy will add a new surface combatant to the country's naval capacity, although the first sea voyage, trials and handover remain ahead.
What happened
Construction of the Ada-class corvette Hetman Ivan Vygovsky in Istanbul has entered its final stage. Kyrylo Budanov, the head of the Presidential Office, inspected the vessel's construction and met its commander, Captain 2nd Rank Yurii Pyshchyk, as well as the crew. Budanov reported that the sailors were in a combat-ready mood and that crew training was continuing at full pace. The next stages are the corvette's first sea voyage, trials and transfer to Ukraine. It was launched on 1 August 2024 and was initially named Hetman Pavlo Skoropadskyi.
How Ukrainian sources describe it
Ukrainian reporting focuses on the corvette reaching the final construction stage and on Budanov's meeting with the ship's commander and crew. The coverage emphasizes crew preparedness for sea trials and the eventual transfer of the vessel to the Ukrainian Navy.
Where reporting differs
Ukrainian sources disagree on when the corvette officially received the name Hetman Ivan Vygovsky. One account gives 8 March 2023, while another gives 7 March 2024.
Background
The Turkish company STM is building the corvette in Istanbul. The Ada class has a displacement of slightly more than 2,000 tonnes, a maximum speed of 29 knots, autonomy of 15 days and a range of 3,500 nautical miles at a cruising speed of 15 knots.