Türkiye has officially launched work on its first indigenously designed aircraft carrier, the Milli Uçak Gemisi (MUGEM). President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan marked the milestone on 28 August with a symbolic weld on the ship’s test flight ramp during the Teknofest Mavi Vatan aerospace and technology festival in Istanbul.
Vice Admiral Recep Erdinç Yetkin, commander of the Istanbul Naval Shipyard, said the carrier is planned to be 285 meters in length and displace around 60,000 tons—more than double the size of the short-runway carrier TCG Anadolu.
The future vessel will be equipped to operate a wide range of unmanned aircraft systems, including Baykar’s Kızılelma combat drone, Bayraktar TB3, and Turkish Aerospace’s Anka. The Hürjet light combat aircraft is also under consideration for carrier operations.
Although the program is still in its design phase, preliminary construction has already started, including work on a test flight ramp expected to be completed in the coming months. The ramps will be used by Turkish defense firms to adapt their aircraft for carrier take-off and landing.
Vice Adm Yetkin noted that the ship will be built using the mega-block method in cooperation with several Turkish shipyards. The carrier is scheduled for launch between 2027 and 2028, with outfitting and systems integration to follow.
