Turkey Begins Building 300-Meter Aircraft Carrier to Rival Europe’s Largest Flattops

According to reports, as Turkey rapidly advances in technology and expands its aerospace and defence-industrial base, Ankara has taken a major step toward becoming a blue-water naval power with the launch of its largest warship project to date.

Turkey has officially confirmed the start of construction of a 300-meter national aircraft carrier, with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and senior naval commanders outlining the program on December 20, 2025.

Erdoğan revealed that Turkish shipyards are currently building 39 warships simultaneously, reflecting the scale of the country’s naval expansion. The aircraft carrier project, known as MUGEM, formally moved into the construction phase following a steel-cutting ceremony held in January 2025.

Since then, the design has been significantly revised and expanded from the original plan of a 285-meter vessel with a 65,000-tonne displacement to a 300-meter platform, making it larger than France’s Charles de Gaulle and longer than the UK’s Queen Elizabeth-class carriers.

Developed in cooperation with Spanish shipbuilder Navantia, the carrier will approach the size of US nuclear-powered aircraft carriers, though it will be conventionally powered. Earlier plans indicated the ship could operate up to 50 aircraft and accommodate a crew of around 800 personnel, though final technical specifications have not yet been disclosed.

Alongside the aircraft carrier, Turkey is progressing with several major naval programs, including the TF-2000 national destroyer, the country’s first domestically built submarine ATILAY, and Hisar-class offshore patrol vessels. One Hisar-class ship has already been delivered, with multiple units under construction.

Erdoğan also highlighted Turkey’s growing defence industry footprint, noting that the country now ranks 11th globally in defence exports, with revenues exceeding $8.6 billion, and a target of $11 billion by 2028.

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