MILDEN’s event was held at Gölcük Naval Shipyard. Credit: UcuncuUlus/commons.wikimedia.org (Creative Commons).

The Turkish Ministry of Defence has revealed the commencement of works on MUGEM indigenous aircraft carrier, the TF-2000 anti-air warfare (AAW) destroyer, and the MILDEN indigenous submarine.  

The ministry held ceremonies to mark the start of construction of MUGEM and TF-2000 at Istanbul Naval Shipyard, while MILDEN’s event was held at Gölcük Naval Shipyard. 

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The events were attended by Turkish Navy officials and representatives from the shipyards, according to the video post on the MoD’s X account.  

At the SAHA EXPO 2024, the Turkish Navy displayed a mock-up of the MUGEM aircraft carrier. 

The TF-2000 project, aimed at developing air defence destroyers, was initiated by the Turkish Naval Forces in July 2017 to meet strategic requirements.  

Meanwhile, the national submarine programme, overseen by the Turkish Naval Research Center Command, has been underway since March 2012.  

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Following the completion of its conceptual design phase last year, construction of the MILDEN submarine is proceeding as scheduled. 

According to a report by GlobalData titled “Turkey Defense Market 2024-2029,” Türkiye’s defence budget has undergone growth, rising from $13.4bn in 2020 to a projected $44.5bn in 2024, representing a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 35.0%.  

This upward trajectory is anticipated to continue, with the budget expected to reach $73.2bn by 2029, equating to a CAGR of 16.4%. 

The acquisition budget for Türkiye’s defence is set at $8.3bn for 2024 and is forecasted to increase from $7.6bn in 2025 to $12.5bn by the end of the 2025–29 period.  

Türkiye has also recently obstructed the passage of Ukraine’s new mine countermeasure vessels (MCMVs), which were donated by the UK to enhance the Ukrainian Navy’s coastal defence capabilities. 

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