Automotiv Exports July 2022

Turkey to
complete
domestically
made submarine
in 6 months
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said that
Turkey expects to complete and deliver
the domestically made submarines to the
Turkish Naval Forces Command within five
to six months.
Speaking at a ceremony for the docking
of the Hızır Reis submarine and the first
welding of the Selman Reis submarine at
Gölcük Shipyard Command in northwestern
Kocaeli province, the president said
Turkey aims to take into service a new
domestically made submarine each
year, to ensure that the navy has six new
submarines by 2027.
“Our submarines, which weigh 1,856
tons above water and 2,042 tons when
submerged, can go to a depth of more than
300 meters. Our submarines, which can
operate for three days underwater, can stay
in water for 12 weeks without the need
for resupply. The submarines, which are
equipped with effective weapons against
underwater, surface and land targets,
have the ability to launch various types of
torpedoes, missiles, and mines. We are
also integrating our national torpedo Akya
and our national anti-ship missile Atmaca
into our submarines with air-independent
propulsion capability,” Erdoğan said.
The president added that the Hızır Reis
submarine will be put into service in 2023
and the Selman Reis in 2027.
“Starting from this year, we will put one of
our submarines into service every year, and
we will add six new type submarines to our
navy until 2027.”
“We have realized many projects that
will render our navy stronger and more
deterrent for the security of the Blue
Homeland,” Erdoğan added.
“Nearly 30 domestic companies of ours
have assumed responsibility in this critical
project with their designs and productions
for submarine platforms and underwater
technology. Moreover, many other
companies of ours are contributing as
subcontractors to the production process
of our submarines. I thank on behalf
of myself and my nation all who have
contributed to the production of these
submarines that will add to our strength in
seas,” the president said.
Erdoğan also highlighted the recent boost
in Turkey’s defense industry, saying that
the reliance on external sources has been
minimized.
“While the foreign dependency in the
defense industry was 80% when we took
office, we have today reached a domestic
and national production rate of over 70%.
We are currently carrying out more than
750 defense industry projects half of
which we have launched in the past five
years. We have realized many projects
that will render our navy stronger and
more deterrent for the security of the Blue
Homeland,” he added.
The president also added that Turkey’s
preparations for the domestically designed
submarine, MILGEM, which is expected
to be built with mostly domestically
developed systems also continues. “We
will begin building the MILGEM in 2025 in
Gölcük Shipyard,” he said.
The MILGEM (National Ship) marine
platforms project is a Turkish warship
program that aims to develop multipurpose
corvettes and frigates that can be deployed
in a range of missions.
These include reconnaissance, surveillance,
early warning, anti-submarine warfare,
surface-to-surface and surface-to-air
warfare, and amphibious operations.
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