Turkey has officially started constructing its first homegrown submarine, a major step in its long-term strategy to reduce reliance on foreign defense technology.
The National Submarine project, designated MILDEN, has entered production at the Gölcük Shipyard Command, shortly after the TF-2000 naval air-defense destroyer program kicked off at Istanbul Shipyard Command.
The TF-2000 is a cornerstone of Turkey’s push to develop indigenous naval assets for the country’s Steel Dome multilayer air-defense framework.
Turkey’s rapidly expanding defense industry has secured 275.9 billion lira ($6.5 billion) in new contracts just last week to support enhancements to Steel Dome and other national programs.
This move aligns with a growing international shift toward domestically produced submarines and greater strategic autonomy.
South Korea is progressing with its KSS-III Dosan Ahn Chang-ho-class program, building its sixth submarine equipped with homegrown ballistic missile systems.
India is pushing forward with production of Kalvari-class submarines and the more advanced Arihant-class nuclear-powered vessels to strengthen its underwater deterrent.
Australia is also getting ready to start assembling its attack-class submarines under the SEA 1000 effort, designed to replace the aging Collins-class fleet with modern diesel-electric platforms.
