Constructions of the MILDEN submarine, TF-2000 air defence destroyer, and the MUGEM aircraft carrier were launched alongside the new year for the Turkish Navy.
The Ministry of National Defence announced at the first press briefing in 2025 that the construction work on the MILDEN submarine, TF-2000 air defence destroyer, and the National Aircraft Carrier MUGEM has started.
MILDEN’s roots can be traced back to the know-how gained from the Reis-class (Type 214TN) AIP submarines in the construction and development/integration of indigenous systems. MILDEN submarines are designed with a displacement larger than the Reis class for longer endurance and greater firepower.
The propulsion system of MILDEN is to be decided on, with AIP being the least required. AIP option can go two ways: local development (Gürbağ-STM’s hydrogen-based solution, AYESAŞ and ASPİLSAN’s AIP R&D projects...) and a partnership such as Spain’s Abengoa, which has developed an ethanol-based AIP system for S-80 submarines.
The firepower of MILDEN will make it a pioneering platform in the Turkish Navy with a variant of ROKETSAN’s MIDLAS VLS under development, in addition to torpedo tubes. ASFAT displayed MILDEN with VLS cells launching a cruise missile during SAHA EXPO 2024. The Republic of Korea developed a similar solution for its KSS-III submarines based on K-VLS to launch Hyunmoo 4-4 SRBMs, but MILDEN’s cells will likely be used for cruise missiles. However, an SRBM based on TAYFUN should not be ruled out per ROKETSAN CEO Murat İkinci’s statements regarding TAYFUN’s potential integration with MİDLAS.
The TF-2000 AAW destroyer is the next step in the road to a Turkish Navy with Indigenous AAW-capable surface combatants after the I-class frigates.
Larger than the I-class frigates, the TF-2000 has a far greater armament and a more capable sensor suite.
The destroyers will carry 96 MİDLAS strike-length VLS cells for HİSAR-D, SAPAN G/M-1 (Quad-packable), SİPER Product 1-D, and SİPER Product 2-D air defence missiles; ATMACA anti-ship missiles, and the larger GEZGİN cruise missile. The missile load was previously provided as 64 MİDLAS VLS+16 deck-mounted ATMACA launchers, but the revision from 2024 swapped out the deck-mounted launchers for an additional 32 MİDLAS cells.
Close-range weaponry consists of GÖKDENİZ 35 mm CIWS, a PDMS (Either one of GÖKSUR 100 or LEVENT), and NAZAR DIRCM. Adding NAZAR DIRCM as a soft-kill measure will relieve the workload of hard-kill systems against optically guided munitions.
The primary sensor, the ÇAFRAD Dual-Band AESA radar system, will consist of X-band Multi-Function Radar and S-band Long-Range Radar. The broader capabilities of ÇAFRAD are critical for TF-2000’s mission profile, including homeland defence from the sea and escorting to major platforms (Such as TCG ANADOLU LHD and MUGEM).
TF-2000 also has a provision for operating VTOL UAVs, swarm UAVs, and USVs from the sub-vehicle bays.
MUGEM, first unveiled in 2024 by the Turkish Navy Design Project Office (DPO), can be described as further developing the naval aviation concept built on TCG ANADOLU (L400) LHD with UCAVs. TCG ANADOLU is expected to mainly operate the Bayraktar TB3 UCAV, which successfully took off and landed on the ship without recovery equipment, but MUGEM is a different story.
With a larger displacement of 60000 tonnes and a ski-jump deck that includes a separate landing runway, MUGEM will sport a wider range of fixed-wing aircraft, including the KIZILELMA unmanned fighter, ANKA-III UCAV, and HÜRJET’s naval variants, as well as helicopters and Bayraktar TB3. The carrier’s aircraft capacity is 50 units.
MUGEM will use four LM2500 gas turbine engines for propulsion, as Turkiye has experience with them on various platforms.
The aircraft carrier will have a considerable self-defence loadout consisting of four GÖKDENİZ CIWS and 32 MİDLAS VLS cells for air defence missiles. The air defence missile load is somewhat uncharacteristic for a carrier of MUGEM’s class, which mostly uses shorter-ranged PDMS like Mk49 RAM.
All these platforms have in common their critical role in Turkiye’s future force projection capabilities, with MUGEM as the flagship, TF-2000 as the main escort, and MILDEN as the underwater deterrent.
