KOCAELİ – The Turkish Navy dispatched a flotilla of four vessels yesterday on a mission to circumnavigate the African continent, the first such mission Turkey has undertaken in 150 years.The flotilla, known as the "Barbaros Turkish Maritime Task Group," will visit 40 ports in 28 African countries and conduct military exercises with navies of those countries.It departed from the Gölcük naval base in the northwestern Turkey following a ceremony attended by navy commanders.The flotilla, consisting of two frigates, a corvette and a replenishment tanker, will be deployed for 102 days.The flotilla's deployment, apart from military exercises, aims to forge closer ties with African countries.