Turkey Confirms Block Production Under Way on Its National Aircraft Carrier Programme
Turkey’s National Aircraft Carrier programme has moved into fabrication, according to the Ministry of National Defence’s 2026 mid-year financial report. In the section covering modernisation activities planned for July to December 2026, the ministry states that “block production will continue” under the programme.
What the document says
The entry is brief. No displacement, air wing composition, delivery date or budget share is given. The same paragraph records that hull construction on the National Fast Attack Craft programme is planned for completion, with both programmes listed among shipbuilding activities conducted at yards under the ministry’s Shipyards Directorate General.
Relationship to TCG Anadolu
The Turkish Navy already operates TCG Anadolu, a landing helicopter dock that has been used to develop shipborne unmanned aviation. The same report records that during the DENIZKURDU-II/2026 exercise, Bayraktar TB3 systems operated from TCG Anadolu, conducting development and test flights, pilot training, and a guided munition engagement against the Albatros target drone using MAM-L munitions. Deck landing and take-off function tests were completed between 5 and 11 January 2026.
The National Aircraft Carrier appears as a separate programme entry. Because the report treats the two in distinct items without cross-reference, the document does not establish whether the carrier is a follow-on to TCG Anadolu or an independent design.
The wider naval schedule
Unlike the carrier entry, the report gives dates for most other naval programmes, offering a view of yard workload through the end of 2026.
| Platform | Activity | Planned date |
|---|---|---|
| National Aircraft Carrier | Block fabrication | Through Jul-Dec 2026 |
| National Fast Attack Craft | Hull construction completion | H2 2026 |
| TCG Muratreis (Reis-class SSK) | Provisional acceptance | August 2026 |
| Istif-class frigate 7 (Ege) | Launch | October 2026 |
| Istif-class frigate 8 (Marmara) | Launch | December 2026 |
| New offshore patrol vessel | First steel cut | 6 July 2026 |
| ALAYBEY tug | Launch | July 2026 |
| TCG Barbaros | Mid-life modernisation start | September 2026 |
First-half milestones
TCG Muratreis, the third of the Reis-class air-independent propulsion submarines, made its first sea voyage on 20 April 2026. Under the MILGEM 6-12 programme, the fifth Istif-class frigate Akdeniz was launched on 2 February 2026 at Anadolu Shipyard, while gas turbines for the second and third ships of the class were delivered to Anadolu and Sedef yards in April and May respectively.
On the export side, the first offshore patrol vessel Contraamiral Roman was handed to the Romanian Navy and the second, TCG Kochisar, to the Turkish Navy at a ceremony on 20 June 2026. Two further corvettes remain under construction for the Pakistan Navy under the Pakistan MILGEM programme.
Frequently Asked Questions
Related Coverage
Sources
- Turkish Ministry of National Defence, “2026 Institutional Financial Status and Expectations Report”, Budget and Financial Services Directorate General, July 2026
- Turkish Public Financial Management and Control Law No. 5018, Article 30
- msb.gov.tr — official publications
