The Turkish Navy has begun constructing three domestically produced warships: a submarine named MILDEN, the aircraft carrier MUGEM, and a TF-2000 destroyer.
A symbolic first weld of the submarine was conducted at the Gölcük Shipyard to commemorate the event.
Meanwhile, the inaugural sheet metal cutting of the naval forces’ aircraft carrier and destroyer was conducted at Istanbul Shipyard.
National Submarine
The “Milli Denizaltı” (National Submarine) or MILDEN is over 80 meters long (262 feet) with a displacement of around 2,700 tons.
It can operate underwater for extended periods, enhancing its ability to evade detection.
“Compared to our current submarines, MILDEN will stay submerged longer, have a heavier weapons load and be able to operate at greater depths,” MILDEN Design Office Chief Engineer Captain Izzet Emre Afacan first revealed in August 2022.
The diesel-electric subsurface vessel will be armed with the high-speed and long-range AKYA heavyweight torpedo and the high-precision ATMACA anti-ship missile, both developed by Turkish missile manufacturer Roketsan.
The MILDEN is anticipated to join the Turkish Navy in the 2030s.
National Aircraft Carrier
Following the country’s first unmanned aerial vehicle carrier ship, TCG Anadolu, comes the “Milli Uçak Gemisi” (National Aircraft Carrier) or MUGEM.
The warship reportedly has a 60,000-ton displacement, measuring 285 meters (935 feet) long and 75 meters (246 feet) wide.
The MUGEM’s conceptual design indicates a capacity for 50 aircraft and the capability to launch the naval versions of the Hürjet light combat aircraft, Bayraktar’s Kızılelma and TB3 combat drones, and the ANKA-3 stealth unmanned combat aerial vehicle, according to TurDef.
Additionally, it features a short take-off and barrier-arrested recovery configuration.
Under the leadership of the Navy’s Directorate of Design Project Office, the MUGEM is planned for 100 percent indigenous construction and with enhanced capabilities compared to the TCG Anadolu.
TF-2000 Destroyer
The future TF-2000 destroyers are being constructed to neutralize aerial threats, including guided and ballistic missile threats.
The armaments include a 127mm main gun, two 25mm remote-controlled weapon stations, and a 35mm Gökdeniz close-in weapon system.
Its current configuration measures 149 meters (489 feet) long, 21.3 meters (70 feet) wide, and with an 8,300-ton displacement.
For air defense, the destroyer can detect adversaries up to 450 kilometers (280 miles) away and is equipped with a 96-cell vertical launch system loaded with Siper and Hisar missiles, along with Gezgin cruise missiles, Defense News reported.
With a combined diesel and gas (CODOG) propulsion, the TF-2000 warships can travel at speeds of 26 knots (30 miles/48 kilometers per hour) and beyond.
