Türkiye starts construction of first MILDEN national submarine for underwater deterrence.

Türkiye has kicked off construction of its first fully national submarine under the MILDEN program at Gölcük Naval Shipyard, in parallel with the first TF 2000 air defense destroyer blocks at Istanbul Naval Shipyard. Together with fresh Steel Dome air and missile defense contracts and a first Hisar-class corvette export to Romania, the move locks in a more autonomous Turkish naval posture in the Eastern Mediterranean, Black Sea, and Turkish Straits.

Speaking at a weekly press briefing in Ankara on December 4, officials from the Turkish Ministry of National Defense confirmed that Türkiye is now cutting steel and assembling the first blocks of its indigenous MILDEN diesel-electric attack submarine at Gölcük Naval Shipyard, shifting the long-running design effort into a full industrial phase. The announcement, paired with the recent start of construction on the first TF 2000 air defense destroyer in Istanbul and a 6.5 billion dollar package of Steel Dome contracts, underlines a deliberate push to anchor future fleet growth in domestic shipyards, sensors, and weapons rather than imported architectures.
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MILDEN is presented as a diesel-electric attack submarine of around 2,700 tons with a length of more than 80 meters, integrating an air-independent propulsion system designed to prolong submerged operations without using the snorkel.(Picture source: Turkish MoD)

MILDEN is presented as a diesel-electric attack submarine of around 2,700 tons with a length of more than 80 meters, integrating an air-independent propulsion system designed to prolong submerged operations without using the snorkel. Officials refer to the development of a local AIP module combining a methanol reforming system with power generation through polymer membrane fuel cells (PEM), supported by lithium-ion batteries. This configuration is intended to reduce acoustic signature while maintaining several days of submerged endurance, a key feature in the closed and heavily monitored seas where Turkish naval forces operate.

The armament is based on eight 533 mm tubes able to employ the AKYA heavy torpedo as well as the Atmaca anti-ship missile, already integrated on several surface platforms. Atmaca offers a range of more than 220 kilometers, sea-skimming flight, inertial and satellite guidance, then terminal acquisition by active radar, enabling engagement of surface targets in contested environments. Officials also mention the possible later integration of the Gezgin cruise missile, intended to strike land infrastructure at long range. Taken together, these systems give MILDEN an engagement spectrum that covers anti-submarine warfare, naval interdiction and selected strikes in depth.

The ministry stresses that the combat system, sensors and control modules are developed domestically. The submarine will receive a nationally designed integrated combat management system, a complete sonar suite including a towed array for long-range detection, and an optronic mast that allows discreet observation without the mechanical constraints of a traditional periscope. This level of technological autonomy aims to reduce exposure to foreign export regimes, an issue that has affected Turkish naval programs for the past two decades.

The announcement is part of a broader trend of consolidation in the defense industrial and technological base, reinforced in recent weeks by several milestones reported by the ministry. Officials recall that TF 2000, whose first blocks are now in production, is planned to provide future naval area air defense thanks to active electronically scanned array (AESA) radars, cooperative engagement capabilities, and long-range interceptors. In the same ministry briefing, it is also stated that ASFAT has signed a contract with Romania for the export of an Akhisar light corvette, the first sale of a Turkish combat ship to a NATO ally. In parallel, the ministry highlights developments in the air combat domain with the Kizilelma unmanned combat aircraft, which has recently engaged and destroyed an aerial target using the Murad AESA radar produced by Aselsan and the Gökdoğan beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile developed by TÜBİTAK SAGE.

The authorities also point out that the Presidency of Defense Industries (SSB) has signed 6.5 billion dollars of contracts to develop the different layers of the Steel Dome system, intended to protect national territory against missiles, drones, and ballistic threats. In this context, the start of MILDEN construction illustrates the intention to extend this logic of sovereignty to the underwater dimension, which has so far relied mainly on German-origin submarines.

At the tactical level, MILDEN is expected to provide the Turkish Navy with enhanced access denial options in the Eastern Mediterranean, the Black Sea, and the Turkish Straits. The AIP system and lithium-ion batteries enable long and discreet patrols in densely monitored areas, maintaining quiet propulsion regimes. AKYA torpedoes provide the ability to neutralize warships or opposing submarines, while Atmaca extends engagement distances against naval groups. Possible integration of Gezgin would give Türkiye a flexible sea-launched land-attack capability that strengthens regional deterrence and complicates planning for potential adversaries.

The progress of the MILDEN program alters the balance of power around the Eastern Mediterranean, where naval tensions remain high. A Turkish fleet gradually equipped with domestically designed submarines and air defense destroyers increases Ankara’s weight inside NATO and attracts close attention from neighboring navies. For Türkiye, this program marks a stage in the effort to build a naval force that controls its own technological architecture while maintaining a lasting regional presence and the capacity to influence security dynamics in the surrounding maritime areas.