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Programme hub · Naval · Aviation ship

National Aircraft Carrier / MUGEM Programme

Türkiye’s indigenous aircraft-carrier programme: design, construction, aviation integration and the development of a sovereign carrier air wing.

TürkiyeLast verified 2026-08-22

StatusDesign maturation and early construction

Current status

Türkiye has progressed its National Aircraft Carrier programme from concept and design work toward construction-related activity.

The Ministry of National Defence states that first-steel activity has taken place and that work is continuing under coordination between the ministry, Turkish Naval Forces and SSB. The ministry’s 2025 activity report additionally states that a test flight ramp was completed in December 2025.

Why it matters

The programme is less about building a single large ship than about creating an entire sovereign naval-air-power ecosystem.

Its success depends on carrier design, aviation facilities, escort vessels, logistics, airborne platforms and the integration of aircraft including KIZILELMA, TB3, ANKA III and potentially HÜRJET derivatives.

Key facts

Official programme
Milli Uçak Gemisi
Common public designation
MUGEM
Authority
Ministry of National Defence / Turkish Naval Forces / SSB
Current phase
Design maturation and early construction activity
Air-wing candidates
Indigenous crewed and uncrewed aviation platforms

What we track

Hull construction; flight-deck architecture; launch/recovery testing; air-wing decisions; TF-2000 escort relationship; unmanned aviation; propulsion and commissioning schedule.

Primary sources

The factual fields on this page are refreshed from primary sources, not from our own archive: past coverage provides context, but it is not the source of truth for current programme status. How we source and verify is set out in our Sourcing Policy.

Related programmes

  • KIZILELMA — Flight, weapons and mission-system testing
  • TF-2000 — First-ship construction
  • MİLDEN — Design maturation and test-block construction
  • MİLGEM — Ship construction and commissioning

MUGEM coverage

1 article

Related context

2 articles