Turkey is building a huge aircraft carrier for airplanes and naval drones
The 60,000-ton aircraft carrier MUGEM being built in Turkey is planned to carry unmanned aerial vehicles, uncrewed speedboats, and underwater drones along with aircraft. According to the Commander of the country's Naval Forces, Ercüment Tatlıoğlu, it will be the world's first aircraft carrier to integrate three types of unmanned and uncrewed systems.
Turkey is building a giant aircraft carrier for planes and sea drones
Construction of MUGEM has been underway since January 2025 at the Istanbul Naval Shipyard. According to initial plans, its launch is scheduled for September 2027. Commissioning or joining the fleet is expected in 2032.
The abbreviation MUGEM comes from the Turkish Milli Uçak Gemisi — "national aircraft carrier". The ship is being created based on an independent design and is not a modified version of the existing TCG Anadolu amphibious assault ship.
The 285-meter ship will accommodate 2,500 people
According to the project, the aircraft carrier will be 285 meters long, 72 meters wide, and have a draft of 10.1 meters. Its full displacement will be approximately 60,000 tons — nearly 2.2 times larger than that of TCG Anadolu.
The ship's maximum speed is expected to exceed 48 kilometers per hour, with a cruising range of up to 18,500 kilometers.
Up to 2,500 people can be accommodated on board, including the main crew, pilots, technical specialists, and support personnel.
During military campaigns, the aircraft carrier is planned to be accompanied by destroyers, frigates, and submarines. MUGEM will also be equipped with modern air defense systems.
What aircraft and drones will be deployed?
The aircraft carrier can carry more than 50 different aircraft. The core of its air group is likely to consist of Turkey's Hürjet combat trainer aircraft. A carrier-capable version of this aircraft is currently being developed.
It is also planned to use the following unmanned aerial vehicles:
Kızılelma jet-powered strike drone;
Anka-3 unmanned aircraft;
Bayraktar TB3 drone.
There have been reports that Turkey may also develop a carrier-capable variant of the Kaan fighter capable of taking off from and landing on its deck, but this information has not been confirmed.
The ship's power plant is expected to consist of four GE LM2500 gas turbines, each with a capacity of approximately 23 megawatts. Electric propulsion elements are also provided for efficient power management at low speeds.