At the beginning of 2024, the Defense Industry Executive Committee decided to initiate the design phase for Turkey’s first domestically built aircraft carrier. As part of this effort, a 110-member “Domestic Aircraft Carrier Working Group” was formed under the Naval Forces Command Design Project Office, and the first designs have already started to take shape.
Having previously built the Spanish-designed TCG Anadolu, Turkey is now taking the next step to construct an entirely indigenous aircraft carrier.
A 285-Meter Mega Project
According to Hürriyet, during the January 3, 2024, Defense Industry Executive Committee meeting, chaired by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, a decision was made to commence the design process for the domestic aircraft carrier. Leading defense companies BAYKAR and TUSAŞ have been involved in developing the flight deck and aviation systems.
The hull design has been finalized, resistance and propulsion analyses completed, and following the concept design phase, construction has begun. Steel cutting for the ship has already started at Istanbul Shipyard. Over 40 defense industry companies are expected to contribute to the project.
Technical Specifications of the Domestic Aircraft Carrier
- Length: 285 meters
- Width: 72 meters
- Draft: 10.1 meters
- Displacement: 60,000 tons
- Aircraft Capacity: 50
- Crew: 800 personnel
- Endurance Without Resupply: 60 days
Turkey to Join the Elite Group of Aircraft Carrier Builders
Upon completion, Turkey will become the fifth country—after the U.S., Russia, the U.K., and China—capable of designing and constructing large aircraft carriers with a displacement of 60,000 tons or more independently.
Domestic production is a key priority for this project. While the TCG Anadolu had a 70% localization rate, the goal is to exceed 80% for the new carrier.
The vessel will feature two takeoff and one landing runway. It will be equipped to deploy Bayraktar TB3, ANKA-3, and Kızılelma unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), the naval variant of Hürjet, and multiple fighter jets and helicopters.
Strengthening Turkey’s Naval Power
The domestic aircraft carrier will significantly enhance Turkey’s presence in open seas, bolster the Blue Homeland doctrine, and provide strategic superiority at sea. By enabling air operations without reliance on land bases, it will increase the navy’s deterrence capability.
Beyond military operations, the carrier will also be utilized in humanitarian aid, evacuation missions, and disaster relief. Its ability to operate independently in international waters will eliminate the need to seek airspace permissions from third-party countries.
Once completed, Turkey’s indigenous aircraft carrier will be twice the size of TCG Anadolu and even faster, significantly boosting the country’s global naval power.
© AeroHaber.com / Mevlüt Zor
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