STM’s European wins strengthen Turkey’s naval credibility on the continent
The Ada Class is part of Turkey’s MILGEM project, aimed at developing an indigenous corvette. (Photo: STM)
Turkish defence and engineering company STM is attempting to challenge Europe’s established naval primes by winning contracts from Portugal to Pakistan – with a business model built on working in any shipyard in the world.
STM has no shipyard of its own. Far from being a liability, though, this has become the company’s export weapon.
Speaking exclusively to Shephard at SAHA 2026 in Istanbul, a senior STM official laid out the logic. “Not having a shipyard gives us the flexibility,” the executive said. “We can use any naval shipyard or private shipyard, in Turkey or all over the world. As of now, we are conducting 28 different shipbuilding projects, including submarines, in eight different shipyards all over the world.”
The model is deliberately export-optimised. “It is a good model for potential customer countries if they
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