Reis-class Submarine Deliveries Explained: TCG Pirireis and the New AIP Fleet
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TCG Pirireis, the lead Reis-class (Type 214TN) submarine. Source: Wikimedia Commons (CC).
Reis-class submarines are the Turkish Navy’s new-generation submarines with air-independent propulsion (AIP). A version of Germany’s HDW (TKMS) Type 214 design adapted for Türkiye (Type 214TN), the class is built at the Gölcük Naval Shipyard with high local content and technology transfer. The lead boat, TCG Pirireis, entered service at a ceremony on 24 August 2024. Comprising six submarines in total, the class represents a major leap in the Turkish Navy’s undersea deterrence. This dossier compiles the Reis class’s delivery process, AIP capability, six-boat program and technical data from open sources.
Contents: Tap each heading to expand or collapse — what the Reis class is, TCG Pirireis, AIP capability, the six-boat program, local content, specs and FAQ.
What is the Reis class?
The Reis class is the product of the New Type Submarine project to modernize the Turkish Navy’s undersea fleet. Based on HDW’s Type 214 design, the class is adapted to Türkiye’s needs (Type 214TN) and built largely at the Gölcük Naval Shipyard.
The class’s most distinctive feature is air-independent propulsion (AIP). This system lets the submarine stay submerged far longer without surfacing (without snorkeling), making it far stealthier and more survivable against detection.
TCG Pirireis enters service
The lead boat, TCG Pirireis, was commissioned at the Aksaz Shipyard Command Opening and Naval Platforms Handover Ceremony on 24 August 2024. The handover of the submarine’s command flag marked a major milestone for the Turkish Navy.
Other boats of the class are progressing at the same time: TCG Hızırreis began sea trials while TCG Muratreis continued fitting-out. This phased delivery schedule shows the class reaching full capacity in the coming years.
TCG Pirireis hizmete giriş töreni (Ağustos 2024). Kaynak: Anadolu Ajansı (AA).
AIP: the key to stealth
Conventional diesel-electric submarines must periodically come near the surface (snorkel depth) to run their engines and charge batteries, exposing them to detection. Air-independent propulsion (AIP) lets the submarine remain submerged for weeks.
This long submerged endurance makes the Reis class far more effective in stealthy reconnaissance, surveillance and deterrence. Combined with a low noise signature and modern sensors, the class offers a platform suited to the demands of contemporary submarine warfare.
The six-boat program
The Reis class will comprise six submarines, built and delivered in phases.
Submarine
Status
TCG Pirireis
In service (24 August 2024)
TCG Hızırreis
Sea trials / delivery process
TCG Muratreis
Fitting-out
TCG Aydınreis / Seydialireis / Selmanreis
Construction/planning
Local content and technology transfer
Although the Reis class’s design originates from Germany’s HDW, the boats are built largely by Turkish engineers and workers at the Gölcük Naval Shipyard. The project aims to transfer submarine-building technology to Türkiye and build national competence in this critical field.
This accumulation also forms the basis for Türkiye to develop a fully indigenous-design submarine in the future (MİLDEN — National Submarine project). In this sense the Reis class serves both as a capability gain and as a school for the national submarine industry.
The Reis class renews the Turkish Navy’s aging submarine fleet with modern, AIP-equipped boats. Long submerged endurance and a low noise signature make the class a powerful stealthy capability in regional waters.
The project also gives Türkiye submarine-building and sustainment technology, forming a strategic foundation for future national submarine projects. In this sense the Reis class is a critical program both operationally and industrially.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Reis class submarine?
The Reis class is the Turkish Navy’s new-generation AIP submarine class; a version of Germany’s HDW Type 214 design built in Türkiye (Type 214TN).
When did TCG Pirireis enter service?
The lead boat, TCG Pirireis, entered service on 24 August 2024.
How many Reis-class submarines will there be?
The class will comprise six submarines.
What is AIP and why does it matter?
Air-independent propulsion lets a submarine stay submerged far longer without surfacing, increasing stealth and survivability.
Is the Reis class indigenous?
The design originates from Germany’s HDW; the boats are built at the Gölcük Naval Shipyard with high local content and technology transfer.
Who operates the Reis-class submarines?
The Reis-class submarines are operated by the Turkish Navy.
The Reis class means a generational leap in the Turkish Navy’s undersea deterrence. With air-independent propulsion dramatically extending submerged endurance, the class is far more resistant to enemy detection and tracking, making it a strategic asset in both reconnaissance-surveillance and deterrence missions.
One of the project’s most critical dimensions is technology transfer. Building the German HDW design in Türkiye lets the Gölcük shipyard and sub-industry gain competence in highly sensitive areas such as submarine construction, welding, pressure-hull manufacturing and system integration — an invaluable foundation for a future fully national submarine.
Submarines are the stealthiest and most deterrent elements of naval warfare; because they are extremely hard to detect, even a few can fundamentally affect an enemy’s naval planning. The Reis class strengthens this asymmetric advantage with modern AIP technology, giving the Turkish Navy a disproportionate impact.
TCG Pirireis entering service is only the first step of the six-boat program. As Hızırreis, Muratreis and the other boats join the fleet in phases, the Turkish Navy will gain a modern, homogeneous AIP submarine fleet in the coming years, increasing operational continuity and sustainment efficiency.
The Reis class’s construction shows that in defense the Turkish industry produces not just platforms but can also manage complex supply chains, international cooperation and advanced manufacturing. Because submarine building is a field few countries have mastered, this competence also raises the Turkish industry’s global standing.
Modern submarines are not just weapon platforms but versatile systems that also perform intelligence gathering, special-forces support and undersea surveillance. The Reis class’s long submerged endurance lets these missions be carried out for longer and more stealthily.
The experience gained at Gölcük aims to culminate in the MİLDEN (National Submarine) project. The design-reading, construction and system-integration accumulation from the Reis class paves the way for Türkiye to design and build its own indigenous submarine — part of a vision of full independence in naval defense industry.
In short, the Reis class is one of the milestones of the Turkish Navy’s modernization and the Turkish defense industry’s competence journey in submarines. With AIP technology, local construction content and a six-boat scale, the class meets today’s deterrence need and lays the groundwork for the future national submarine.
