The most recent photographs from Türkiye's Ministry of National Defence confirmed that the first hull block of the first MUGEM-class large aircraft carrier, which was designed domestically, has been successfully built.
Türkiye plans to put the MUGEM-class aircraft carrier into service in 2032.
The ship will feature a ski-jump take-off system. Outfitted with a 12-degree ski-jump ramp, the ship will have an overall length of 285 metres, a beam of 72 metres, a draught of 10.1 metres, and a displacement of approximately 60,000 tonnes.
Photos of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan inspecting the MUGEM aircraft carrier's design model and the ship's first hull block were shared on social media.
Rear Admiral Hakan Uçar, the Commander of the Naval Technical Command of the Turkish Naval Forces overseeing the MUGEM large aircraft carrier project, shared a slew of slides illustrating the latest status of the MUGEM project in his presentation at the Combined Naval Event (CNE) 2026 held on 19–21 May in Farnborough, England.
According to Uçar's presentation, the project began in 2023. The initial stage involved the development of a concept of operations (CONOPS), feasibility studies, and analysis of alternatives, followed by the project definition and conceptual design phase. The project then went through a preliminary design process, with plans to proceed to the detailed design and contractor agreement drafting stages around 2026. This is set to be followed by the construction, testing, and verification phases. According to the Turkish Naval Forces' planning, the ship is expected to officially enter into service following the completion of its construction and testing procedures.
Flotilla Admiral Erdinç Yetkin, the Commander of the İstanbul Shipyard, stated in August last year that the aircraft carrier could be launched in the 2027-2028 period and delivered after 2030.
Uçar's presentation also confirmed the main technical features of the ship. Accordingly, the ship will be 285 metres in length and 72 metres in maximum beam, with a draught of 10.1 metres and a displacement of 60,000 tonnes. The ship's accommodation capacity was stated as a maximum of 2,500 personnel.
The Naval News' report highlighted the fact that the specified 2,500 personnel capacity for the MUGEM-class aircraft carrier is much higher than the 800-crew figure that was mentioned previously by the Turkish Naval Forces. Hence, this figure was attributed to the total accommodation capacity, including the air wing personnel, technical staff, and other embarked forces, not just the ship’s company.
According to Uçar, the carrier will operate 52 aircraft.
The aircraft carrier will also feature capability to launch and recover unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) and unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs).
Various radar and electronic systems developed by Türkiye will also be installed on the MUGEM-class aircraft carrier.