Turkey Begins Construction of First Domestic Submarine of MİLDEN Project

Turkey has started building the first domestic submarine under its national MİLDEN project.

The Turkish Ministry of National Defense announced the start of construction.

The hull-laying ceremony was held at the Gölcük Naval Shipyard. The submarine is expected to enter service with the Turkish Navy by 2030.

MİLDEN (Milli Denizaltı — “National Submarine”) is a Turkish diesel-electric submarine project with a displacement of around 2,700 tons and a length exceeding 80 meters.

The submarine will be equipped with an air-independent propulsion (AIP) system, enabling extended underwater operations without surfacing, as well as its own weapons, including Atmaca anti-ship missiles, torpedoes, and potentially Gezgin cruise missiles.

The vessel will also feature domestically developed control systems, sensors, and combat modules designed to meet current and future requirements of the Turkish Navy.

The MİLDEN project is seen as a key step in enhancing Turkey’s autonomous defense capabilities and is being developed alongside other national programs, notably MİLGEM. Both initiatives aim to develop indigenous combat naval platforms, reducing reliance on foreign imports.

Militarnyi previously reported that Turkey has identified the construction of nuclear submarines as a national goal to further strengthen the fleet, following the completion of the MİLDEN diesel-electric program.