[11] Developed under the MILGEM national warship program as the I-class frigate, the Istanbul class is an enlarged version of the Ada-class anti-submarine corvette, with enhanced endurance and MIDLAS Vertical Launching System (VLS) for multi-role capability.

[6] On 19 January 2017, Turkish Navy held a ceremonial steel cut for the lead ship TCG Istanbul (F 515).

The program calls for the construction of a warship family in three classes, where all vessels would be designed with high degree of commonality.

The experience and technological know-how gained with the Istanbul class will play an important role in determining the design characteristics and the development process of the TF-2000-class destroyers, as well as the selection of the systems and equipment which will be used on these significantly larger and more capable warships.

[17][18]It was stated in Aselsan 2023 Annual report that İstif class frigate was exported to an unnamed Middle Eastern country.