MILDEN marks high point for indigenous Turkish shipbuilding capabilities
The MILDEN submarine programme (scale model pictured) includes a high proportion of indigenous content. (Photo: Gölcük Naval Shipyard)
Six MILDEN submarines will feature predominantly Turkish-made systems, with the only questions marks — for now — hanging over the periscope and propulsion systems.
Gölcük Naval Shipyard has disclosed details on the Milli Denizalti (MILDEN - National Submarine) programme, which is earmarked as the backbone of the Turkish submarine fleet by the late 2030s.
Turkish Navy officials have not revealed any details regarding the future indigenous MILDEN submarines — so comments to the state-owned Anadolu news agency in late August from Cdre Mustafa Saygılı, head of Gölcük Naval Shipyard, were a novel development.
The conceptual design phase of MILDEN, according to Saygılı, was finished and approved by Turkish Naval Forces Command earlier in 2022 and the preliminary design phase is underway.
Construction of
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