Maldives Receives Turkish Doğan-class fast attack craft TCG Volkan in Strategic Maritime Collaboration.

The Turkish Ministry of National Defence announced on April 12, 2025, that Türkiye has donated the Doğan-class fast attack craft TCG Volkan (P-343) to the Republic of Maldives, in a move aimed at significantly enhancing the maritime defense capabilities of the Indian Ocean island nation. This strategic military transfer represents a notable deepening of defense cooperation between Ankara and Malé, and it introduces a new level of naval firepower to the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF).
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Türkiye donates Tcg Volkan (P343) missile boat to Maldives, strengthening regional ties. (Picture source: YorukIsik X account)

According to the official statement released via the social media platform X, the TCG Volkan is currently undergoing a complete maintenance and refurbishment process at the Istanbul Naval Shipyard Command. Upon completion, the vessel will be delivered to the Maldives aboard a Turkish dock landing ship. The formal handover is scheduled for June 2025, with the ship expected to be commissioned into the MNDF Coast Guard by July.

In parallel with the transfer, 19 personnel from the MNDF are receiving simulator and operational training in Türkiye from April 7 to May 9. Turkish naval specialists will continue training efforts onboard once the vessel is delivered, ensuring its smooth integration into the Maldivian fleet and full operational capability.

TCG Volkan is a Doğan-class fast attack craft, originally commissioned in 1981 and developed from Germany’s Lürssen Werft FPB-57 design for the Turkish Navy. Measuring 58.1 meters in length and displacing 436 tons, the vessel is capable of reaching speeds up to 38 knots. Designed for high-speed, hit-and-run operations in littoral and coastal environments, the main mission of the TCG Volkan includes rapid response to surface threats, coastal defense, and sea denial through its powerful missile and gun armament. Originally, the vessel was equipped with two RGM-84 Harpoon anti-ship missiles, a 76 mm OTO Melara naval gun, and a twin 35 mm Oerlikon GDM-A anti-aircraft turret. While the Harpoon missiles may be removed before the transfer, the ship’s existing weapons systems provide formidable capabilities for intercepting and deterring illicit maritime activity.

The introduction of the TCG Volkan represents a major leap in naval capability for the Maldives. Prior to this acquisition, the MNDF Coast Guard operated a modest fleet focused primarily on patrol, interdiction, and amphibious tasks. As of 2025, the Maldives naval assets include 12 patrol and coastal combatant vessels—among them the Huravee (formerly the Indian Navy’s Tarmugli), Ghazee, Shaheed Ali, and various fast interceptor and patrol craft—as well as four landing craft, including the LCU L301. This fleet has historically been geared toward surveillance, law enforcement, and maritime security missions within the country’s territorial waters and Exclusive Economic Zone.

The deployment of TCG Volkan—by far the most heavily armed and capable surface combatant in the Maldivian inventory—redefines the scope of the country’s naval operations. It positions the MNDF Coast Guard to conduct extended patrols, assert maritime domain awareness, and respond with greater force to emerging security threats.

This naval donation follows the Maldives’ recent acquisition of Türkiye-made Bayraktar TB2 armed unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), which began operations in 2024. These drones, operated by the newly established MNDF Air Corps, have significantly improved the country's capacity to monitor its maritime territory.

Beyond the immediate defense upgrade, the donation of TCG Volkan reflects Türkiye’s broader strategic objectives. By deepening its defense ties with the Maldives, Türkiye is expanding its influence in the Indian Ocean region—a space historically dominated by India and increasingly contested by China. The move allows Türkiye to project power, promote its growing defense industry, and foster long-term military and diplomatic relations through training and hardware support. As a Muslim-majority nation, the Maldives also fits within Türkiye’s wider soft power outreach to Islamic countries.

In this context, the delivery of TCG Volkan is not only a military asset transfer but a calculated geopolitical maneuver, positioning Türkiye as a relevant actor in South Asian security dynamics while offering the Maldives an enhanced capacity to defend its maritime interests.