Add Zona Militar to your Google feed
Why add us? Receive the latest updates from Zona Militar in your Google feed.
The commander of the Turkish Navy has announced a launch date for Türkiye’s new aircraft carrier. Admiral Ercüment Tatlıoğlu said the vessel is due to be launched on 27 September 2027. He also confirmed that its design will support unmanned combat aircraft and unmanned naval vehicles.
👉 Read more: U.S. Air Force Declares Initial Operational Capability for New MH-139A Grey Wolf Helicopter to Strengthen Nuclear Arsenal
Türkiye to launch the MUGEM in September 2027
Tatlıoğlu said construction of the MUGEM is advancing to schedule. The newly announced date narrows down the planning outlined in 2025, when the Turkish Navy expected the launch to take place between 2027 and 2028.
The programme calls for an aircraft carrier measuring 285 metres in length and displacing roughly 60,000 tonnes. It will be larger than the Anadolu amphibious assault ship, which is 230 metres long and displaces around 27,000 tonnes. Experience acquired through the Anadolu programme is also being applied to the development of the new ship.
📌 You may also like
- The U.S. Air Force deploys B-52H bombers to Australia to reinforce the Indo-Pacific
- After 34 years of service, the USAF’s last EC-130H Compass Call electronic warfare aircraft made its final flight
Following the completion of several design and analysis stages, the Turkish Navy began physical construction of the MUGEM. In June 2026, Turkish authorities showed steel blocks being assembled at the Istanbul Naval Shipyard. Under the schedule presented then, the aircraft carrier is expected to be delivered in 2032.
The MUGEM will operate unmanned aircraft and systems
The MUGEM design provides for air, surface and subsurface assets to be integrated into one command-and-control network. Tatlıoğlu stated that the ship will be capable of operating up to 52 KIZILELMA unmanned combat aircraft, as well as unmanned naval vehicles and submarines.
Its flight deck and hangars will be configured to support the employment of these aircraft during naval operations. The Turkish Navy currently operates five types of unmanned naval vehicle (UAV) and three types of unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV). The project is intended to allow these systems to be deployed directly from the MUGEM.
According to the naval commander’s statements, Türkiye aims to become the first nation to operate an aircraft carrier combining aerial, surface and subsurface UAVs, alongside aircraft, within a single command architecture. This capability sets the MUGEM apart from the conventional aircraft carrier model, which is focused principally on crewed aircraft.
Military shipbuilding is also expanding
The MUGEM programme forms part of a wider Turkish Navy shipbuilding plan. Tatlıoğlu indicated that 37 platforms are now under construction, among them the national aircraft carrier, fast attack craft, minehunters and the Kocatepe air-defence destroyer.
Turkish authorities additionally intend to start construction on ten further platforms in August 2026. Once these projects are included, the number of warships being built for the Turkish Navy will rise to 47. At the same time, the country is constructing another 24 warships for overseas customers.
The expansion also covers newly developed domestic weapons systems. Tatlıoğlu said the Turkish-made ATMACA anti-ship missile has replaced US-built Harpoon missiles, and that it successfully struck a target 190 kilometres away in a test launched from a submarine. He also referred to the entry into service of the MALAMAN bottom-mounted smart mine and the AKYA heavy torpedo.
From 27 September 2027, the MUGEM programme will move into a new stage of Turkish naval development. Its launch will permit testing and system-integration work to continue ahead of its planned 2032 delivery, as the Turkish Navy seeks to give the ship multi-domain capability based on both crewed and unmanned systems.
Images for illustrative purposes only.
Comments
No comments yet. Be the first to comment!
Leave a Comment