Earlier this year, NATO member Turkey announced plans to domestically design and build its first true aircraft carrier. Designed to support a mix of manned and unmanned aerial vehicles, the carrier will have a significant airwing capacity and be equipped with advanced defensive systems, emphasizing Turkey's commitment to expanding its maritime strength and capabilities.

The announcement of this program followed the launch of the TCG Anadolu multipurpose amphibious assault ship that was commissioned into the Turkish Navy in April 2023. The warship was modeled after Spain's Juan Carlos I LHD but was built with 70% domestic production. The flattop, which can operate with a variety of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) and rotary aircraft measures 231 meters (758 feet) in length and 32 meters in width, while it has a displacement of 27,436 tons. It has been seen as a stepping stone towards a true aircraft carrier, one that could operate with manned fighters, drones and helicopters.

Ankara appears to be ready to go full steam ahead with its ambitious carrier program. It was this past winter that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdo an officially unveiled the program during a visit to the Design Project Office at the Istanbul Naval Shipyard

The Turkish Aircraft Carrier – What We Know, What Was Announced

Early designs suggested it could include three runways, with two designated for takeoff and one for landing purposes. Initially, there would be no catapult system onboard; instead, the Directorate of Design Project Office (DPO) called for a modular ramp. The long-term plan involves Turkish engineers developing an indigenous catapult system.

Previously announced plans had called for the carrier to support an airwing of fifty aircraft, with twenty to be stationed on the deck and thirty more housed in the hangar. I

The development has apparently moved forward, with a plan coming into greater focus. A mock-up of the "MUGEM" – Milli Uçak Gemisi, Turkish for "National Aircraft Carrier" – was unveiled earlier this month at the SAHA Expo 2024 defense trade show in Istanbul. According to a report from Naval News, citing Turkish officials, the future MUGEM carrier would be designed and built domestically "reflecting Turkiye's growing expertise in the naval shipbuilding sector."

Naval News added that the MUGEM would be a conventional design with an "optimized hull form, developed using a multi-dimensional optimization tool, which ensures excellent seakeeping, stability, and high maneuverability. These capabilities have been proven through internal simulation tools, making the carrier a robust asset in various sea conditions."

The report highlighted that the bow design could reduce fuel consumption by 1.5% while improving the underwater noise. That could result in greater efficiency, but a level of stealth.

The layout of the carrier hasn't changed, nor has its capacity. The domestically-built Turkish carrier could be reasonably armed, with a 32-cell MIDLAS VLS (Vertical Launching System), and four Gökdeniz Close-in Weapon systems for self-defense. It was reported that the mock-up could also be equipped with "six Aselsan 25mm STOP Remote Weapon Systems will provide close-range defense mainly against asymmetric threats."

The design still calls for the carrier to be 285 meters (935 feet) in length with a displacement of 60,000 tons. Additionally, the carrier will be equipped with Combined Gas Turbine and Gas Turbine (COGAG) propulsion, ensuring a maximum speed of 25 knots.

Author Experience and Expertise: Peter Suciu

Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer. He has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers, and websites with over 3,200 published pieces over a twenty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: [email protected].

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