Türkiye marks start of work on MUGEM carrier

A symbolic weld marking the start of work on Türkiye's MUGEM carrier on 28 August 2025. (Presidency of Türkiye)

Türkiye has begun work on its first domestically designed aircraft carrier, Milli Uçak Gemisi (MUGEM), with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan performing a symbolic weld on the ship's test flight ramp during the Teknofest Mavi Vatan aerospace and technology festival held in September.

Vice Admiral Recep Erdinç Yetkin, commander of Istanbul Naval Shipyard, said during the event in Istanbul on 28 August that the new vessel is planned to be 285 m long and displace 60,000 tons, compared with short-runway carrier TCG Anadolu's 230 m and 27,000 tons.

The carrier will be configured to operate a variety of unmanned aircraft systems (UASs), including the Kızılelma combat UAS, Bayraktar TB3, and Turkish Aerospace's Anka, as well as the possible Hürjet manned aircraft.

Although the project remains in the design phase, construction activities have already begun. Work is under way on a test flight ramp, expected to be completed within the coming months. These ramps will be used by Baykar and Turkish Aerospace to test their aircraft and adapt them for take-off and landing operations from the future carrier.

According to Vice Adm Yetkin, the ship will be constructed using the mega-block method in co-operation with multiple Turkish shipyards. The carrier is scheduled for launch in 2027–28, with outfitting and systems integration to follow.