Türkiye has started building its first domestic conventional submarine.
The initial steel cutting ceremony for Türkiye's indigenous aircraft carrier, domestic submarine, and TF-2000 destroyer project was recently held at the İstanbul Naval Shipyard and Gölcük Naval Shipyard.
The ceremony signifies the official commencement of the new submarine project while simultaneously being a significant milestone in the country's shipbuilding production. This development is of great importance in terms of Türkiye's transition to conventional submarine production with its indigenous design for the first time in its history.
Since the 1950s, Türkiye has expanded its underwater forces by purchasing submarines from countries such as the United States and Germany. Nevertheless, it continued to be technologically dependent on the West during this period. Türkiye initiated its domestic submarine project in 2012 and had advanced to the construction phase by 2024.
The domestic submarine project is a significant stride for Türkiye's defence industry. These submarines will be designed and built entirely by Türkiye. Türkiye introduced the TS1700 prototype in 2019, but the project did not proceed with this design. In 2022, Gölcük Shipyard continued with a larger and more advanced design. The first unit of the new submarine is planned to be completed by the end of 2031, with construction starting in 2025.
The new domestic submarine will have an underwater displacement of 2700 tonnes, will be equipped with an air-independent propulsion (AIP) system and will be superior to Türkiye's existing submarines in terms of weapon capacity and range.
Three major technological steps stand out in the project: AIP System and lithium battery, the pumped jet propulsion system and indigenous weapon systems.
The domestic submarine project is part of Türkiye's goal of liberating the defence industry from foreign dependence and gaining technological independence. However, there are some technical challenges to be solved in the project. The reliability of the AIP system and the localisation rate of lithium batteries are among the most important of these topics.
For the 2025-2035 period, Türkiye is reportedly aiming for full independence in submarine production by establishing eight national test laboratories and three private shipyards. With the completion of the project, the localisation rate in the defence industry could exceed 80 per cent.
The construction of the new generation submarines will enable Türkiye to move ahead in military competition and increase its effectiveness at sea. This development could affect regional security balances and further strengthen Türkiye's international position.