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The commander of the Turkish Navy has stated that a firm launch date has now been set for Turkey’s new aircraft carrier. Admiral Ercüment Tatlıoğlu said the vessel will be launched on 27 September 2027. He also confirmed that its design will provide for the operation of uncrewed combat aircraft and uncrewed naval vehicles.
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Turkey plans to launch MUGEM in September 2027
Tatlıoğlu said construction of MUGEM is currently progressing in line with the established schedule. The newly announced date provides greater precision than the plans made public in 2025, when the Turkish Navy expected the launch to take place between 2027 and 2028.
The project calls for an aircraft carrier measuring 285 metres in length and displacing around 60,000 tonnes. These dimensions exceed those of the Anadolu amphibious assault ship, which is 230 metres long and displaces approximately 27,000 tonnes. Experience gained through that programme is also supporting development of the new vessel.
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The Turkish Navy began physical work on MUGEM after completing a range of design and analysis stages. In June 2026, Turkish authorities displayed steel blocks being assembled at the Istanbul Naval Shipyard. Under the timetable presented at the time, delivery of the aircraft carrier is scheduled for 2032.
MUGEM will operate uncrewed aircraft and systems
The MUGEM design envisages the integration of air, surface and underwater assets into a single command-and-control network. According to Tatlıoğlu, the ship will be able to operate up to 52 KIZILELMA uncrewed combat aircraft, as well as uncrewed naval and underwater vehicles.
The aircraft carrier will feature a flight deck and hangars configured to operate these aircraft during naval missions. The Turkish Navy currently fields five types of uncrewed naval vehicle and three types of uncrewed underwater vehicle. The programme is intended to enable these systems to be deployed directly from MUGEM.
According to the naval commander’s remarks, Turkey aims to become the first country to operate an aircraft carrier integrating uncrewed air, surface and subsurface aircraft and vehicles within one command architecture. This feature sets MUGEM apart from the traditional aircraft-carrier concept, which is focused primarily on crewed aircraft.
Military shipbuilding is also expanding
The MUGEM programme forms part of a wider shipbuilding plan for the Turkish Navy. Tatlıoğlu stated that 37 platforms are now under construction, including the national aircraft carrier, fast attack craft, minehunters and the Kocatepe air-defence destroyer.
In addition, Turkish authorities plan to begin building another ten platforms in August 2026. With these additional projects, the total number of military vessels under construction for the Turkish Navy would reach 47 units. At the same time, the country is building a further 24 warships for overseas customers.
The expansion also covers newly developed domestic weapon systems. Tatlıoğlu said the indigenous ATMACA anti-ship missile has replaced US-made Harpoon missiles and successfully struck a target at a distance of 190 kilometres in a test launched from a submarine. He also noted the entry into service of the MALAMAN smart bottom mine and the AKYA heavyweight torpedo.
With the date of 27 September 2027 set, the MUGEM programme is moving towards a new phase in Turkish naval development. The launch will allow testing and system-integration stages to continue ahead of the planned 2032 delivery, while the Turkish Navy seeks to equip the ship with a multi-domain capability based on crewed and uncrewed systems.
Images for illustrative purposes only.
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