Turkey Starts Building Its First-Ever Indigenous Submarine MILDEN At Gölcük Shipyard Command

Turkey has launched construction of its first domestically designed submarine, marking a significant step in Ankara’s drive to expand sovereign defense capabilities and reduce reliance on foreign suppliers. Work on the National Submarine Program, known as MILDEN, has formally begun at Gölcük Shipyard Command, the traditional home of the Turkish Navy’s undersea fleet.

The milestone follows the recent start of Turkey’s TF-2000 naval air-defense destroyer project at Istanbul Shipyard Command, underscoring a rapid expansion of naval modernization efforts. Both initiatives fall under the country’s broader Steel Dome multilayered defense architecture, which aims to strengthen maritime, air, and missile defense capacity across the Turkish armed forces.

According to Turkish media, the country signed 275.9 billion Turkish lira (about $6.5 billion) in defense contracts last week alone to support Steel Dome-related systems and platforms — a reflection of how aggressively Ankara is investing in homegrown military capabilities.

A Milestone for Turkey’s Submarine Industry

The MILDEN program is designed to deliver Turkey’s first indigenous conventional submarine, moving beyond licensed production models such as the German-designed Type-214TN Reis-class. Engineers at Gölcük Shipyard are now working on the first sections of the hull, with the project expected to span several years of design refinement, systems integration, and trial phases.

The domestically developed submarine is expected to incorporate:

• A low-observable hydrodynamic design

• Indigenous combat management and sonar systems

• Turkish-made AKYA heavyweight torpedoes

• Advanced acoustic signature reduction technologies

• Air-independent propulsion (AIP) concepts currently under development

Once completed, MILDEN will place Turkey among a select group of nations capable of independently designing and producing submarines.

Part of a Larger Naval Expansion

Turkey is simultaneously working on a number of key naval programs, including:

• Reis-class submarines, built under German license

• I-Class frigates, with the first vessel already in sea trials

• Uncrewed surface vessels, such as ULAQ and MARLIN

• The newly initiated TF-2000 air-defense destroyer, set to serve as the navy’s most advanced surface combatant

Together, these programs aim to give Turkey a more autonomous and technologically sophisticated fleet capable of operating well beyond its immediate waters.

Global Momentum Behind Indigenous Submarine Programs

Turkey’s move mirrors a broader global trend, as several countries push to develop domestic submarine capabilities to enhance strategic independence.

South Korea is advancing production of its KSS-III Dosan Ahn Chang-ho-class submarines, the first in the country to feature domestically developed ballistic missile systems. The sixth boat is already under construction.

India continues to expand its underwater fleet with new Kalvari-class submarines and additional nuclear-powered Arihant-class vessels, forming part of its long-term deterrence strategy.

Brazil is pressing ahead with more Scorpène-class submarines at the Itaguaí shipyard and pursuing its first nuclear-powered submarine under the PROSUB program.

Australia has begun early assembly work under the SEA 1000 initiative, a major effort to replace its Collins-class fleet with next-generation diesel-electric submarines.

A Strategic Shift for Ankara

For Turkish defense planners, the MILDEN submarine represents more than a technological project — it is a strategic declaration of independence at a time of shifting global alliances and rising tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean and beyond.

By developing a domestically designed submarine, Turkey aims to secure control over sensitive underwater technologies, avoid export restrictions, and strengthen its long-term naval deterrence. The move also positions Ankara to eventually offer advanced submarine designs for export, reinforcing its growing role in the global defense market.

The coming years will determine how quickly MILDEN progresses from construction hall to open sea, but its launch marks a defining moment in Turkey’s ambition to reshape its naval future with homegrown capabilities.