Turkey will start cutting steel for its first domestically designed aircraft carrier in early 2025, Defense Minister Yaşar Güler announced during a media briefing Friday at the Ministry of Defense. The National Aircraft Carrier Project (MUGEM) represents a significant leap in Turkey’s naval expansion program.
The project gained momentum after the Defense Industry Executive Committee, chaired by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, authorized design studies on January 3, 2024. The initiative was first unveiled publicly in February when Erdoğan visited the Design Project Office at the Istanbul Naval Shipyard.
Turkish naval officials provided journalists with a rare glimpse into the project during a shipyard tour in April, sharing updates on the vessel’s design and capabilities. The carrier, which will be larger than Turkey’s current flagship TCG Anadolu, is being developed alongside the TF-2000 air defense destroyer.
According to Güler, both vessels (MUGEM and TF- 2000) will begin construction in the first months of 2025, highlighting Turkey’s growing ambitions in naval modernization. The carrier project follows the country’s successful development of Ada-class corvettes and the Istanbul frigate, all designed by the same Design Project Office that previously led the Indigenous MilGem Program.
The MUGEM project represents a significant technological advancement in Turkey’s naval capabilities, with specifications that far exceed the country’s current flagship, TCG Anadolu. While the Anadolu operates as a multi-purpose amphibious assault ship, MUGEM is designed as Turkey’s first full-fledged aircraft carrier.
The new carrier will measure 285 meters (935 feet) in length and 72 meters (236 feet) in width, with a displacement of 60,000 tons. The vessel features an optimized hull design that ensures superior seakeeping abilities and high maneuverability, even in challenging sea conditions. Its innovative bow design reduces fuel consumption by 1.5 percent and improves underwater noise characteristics.
MUGEM will employ a STOBAR (Short Take-Off But Arrested Recovery) system, featuring three runways — two for takeoff and one for landing. Initially equipped with a ski-jump ramp for aircraft launches, Turkish engineers are developing an indigenous catapult system for future integration.
The carrier’s power plant will consist of four gas turbines in COGAG (Combined Gas and Gas) configuration. This system, coupled with twin-shaft propellers, will enable the ship to reach speeds of 25 knots while maintaining optimal fuel efficiency. The vessel’s range is expected to reach 10,000 nautical miles at 14 knots, allowing for up to 60 days of continuous operations.
MUGEM is designed to accommodate 50 aircraft, with space for 20 on deck and 30 in the hangar. The air wing will include a mix of manned and unmanned systems, including TAI’s Hurjet light attack aircraft, ANKA-III unmanned jet fighter, Baykar’s Bayraktar KIZILELMA and TB-3 UCAVs.
For self-defense, the carrier will be equipped with a 32-cell MIDLAS Vertical Launching System, four Gokdeniz Close-in Weapon Systems and six Aselsan 25mm STOP Remote Weapon Systems.
The ship will operate with a crew of 400-500 personnel, with total accommodation for up to 800 people, including aviation personnel and special forces units. It will also feature comprehensive medical facilities, including surgical capabilities and a full infirmary.
Associate professor and engineer Col. Hakan Ucar, director of the Design Project Office, emphasized the strategic significance of the project, saying, “This vessel will enhance the naval forces’ ability to safeguard interests in overseas areas and support multi-purpose operations.”
The carrier represents a major advancement over TCG Anadolu, offering twice the aircraft capacity and extended operational range. Its cruising range will be extended to 10,000 nautical miles, compared to the TCG Anadolu’s 9,000 nautical miles, and it will achieve higher speeds with an advanced propulsion system.
With domestic production exceeding 80 percent, MUGEM demonstrates Turkey’s growing capabilities in indigenous naval design and construction.
Fatih Yurtsever, a defense industry analyst and former naval officer who uses a pseudonym out of security concerns, says the aircraft carrier program marks a significant shift in Turkey’s naval strategy, moving from coastal defense to power projection capabilities in contested waters.
The carrier’s significant advancement over TCG Anadolu — with twice the aircraft capacity and extended operational range — signals Turkey’s commitment to developing blue-water naval capabilities. This enhanced capacity will allow the Turkish Navy to maintain a more sustained presence in strategic waters and support multi-purpose operations far from home ports.