Türkiye sets 2030 goal for delivery of first domestic submarine photo

Following the completion of the first block of the TF-2000 air defence destroyer at the Istanbul shipyard, Türkiye has commenced construction of the first test block of its “National Submarine” (MİLDEN) in Gölcük.

Zeki Aktürk, head of the press office at Türkiye’s Ministry of Defence, announced the development on X, as reported by Caliber.Az, citing SavunmaSanayiST.com.

MİLDEN’de kritik eşik: Test bloğu inşası başladı

Türkiye, Milli Denizaltı MİLDEN için kritik bir aşamayı daha geride bıraktı. Gölcük Tersanesi Komutanlığı’nda ilk test bloğu resmen inşa edilmeye başlandı

Milli Savunma Bakanlığı Basın ve Halkla İlişkiler Müşaviri Tuğamiral Zeki… pic.twitter.com/hSRbQTSFLm

— SavunmaSanayiST.com (@SavunmaSanayiST) December 4, 2025

He stated that the first MİLDEN submarine is expected to be delivered to the Turkish Naval Forces Command by 2030.

The MİLDEN submarine, developed under this national project, will feature a displacement of approximately 2,700 tons and a length exceeding 80 meters. It will employ a diesel-electric propulsion system equipped with an air-independent propulsion (AIP) unit. These specifications are designed to make MİLDEN highly competitive in its class and capable of extended, silent operation.

Currently, all submarines in service with the Turkish Naval Forces, including the Reis-class, are based on German designs. The MİLDEN project, modelled similarly to the MİLGEM program, represents Türkiye’s effort to design, develop, and build its own domestically produced combat naval platform.

By Tamilla Hasanova