60,000-ton MUGEM aircraft carrier could be first to ‘combine unmanned systems’

The fully indigenous 60,000-ton fleet aircraft carrier being built by Turkey will be the first in the world that can deploy unmanned aerial, surface, and underwater vehicles, according to a statement made by the country’s Naval Forces Commander.

Naval Forces Commander Adm. Ercument Tatlioglu recently said that the under-construction aircraft carrier will carry drone boats, drone submarines, and unmanned aerial vehicles. He also stated that it will be the first aircraft carrier to combine unmanned systems, making it unique.

Tatlioglu also spoke about the country’s Tepe-class destroyer, and the new minehunter program. He stated that these new projects are being built in such a fashion that they can carry out hybrid operations in sync with unmanned systems, according to the report by Turkiye Today.

He went on to add that the country is increasing the number of unmanned vehicles serving in different dimensions of naval operations.

MUGEM aircraft carrier

The MUGEM aircraft carrier’s planned hull launch is expected to happen in September 2027. However, the projected delivery or commissioning is slated to take place in 2032. Construction has been ongoing at the Istanbul Naval Shipyard in Turkey since January 2025.

The name MUGEM stands for Milli Uçak Gemisi, or National Aircraft Carrier. It is a purpose-designed vessel and not a variant of the existing TCG Anadolu amphibious assault ship.

The aircraft carrier will have a length of 935-feet (285 meter), a 72-meter (236-foot) beam and 10.1-meter (33-foot) draft. MUGEM will have about 60,000 metric tons displacement, which is approximately 2.2 times more than the TCG Anadolu assault ship.

The ship is being designed to exceed speeds of 26 knots and maintain a 10,000-nautical-mile range while cruising at 14 knots.

It could possibly accommodate up to 2,500 crew members and personnel including the core crew, the air wing, maintenance staff and others.

Plans for the new vessel

According to the Navy’s plan, the aircraft carrier will be accompanied by destroyers, frigates, and submarines in its missions. It will also be fitted with advanced air defense systems, and will be able to carry over 50 aircraft of different types.

Earlier, it was suggested that the carrier’s air wing is being planned around the Hürjet, a naval variant of Turkey’s manned trainer and light combat jet. Three unmanned aircraft are also planned in the lineup: the jet-powered Kızılelma combat drone, the flying-wing Anka-3, and the smaller Bayraktar TB3.

There also have been unconfirmed reports that Turkey might also be planning a naval version of its Kaan fighter jet that could take-off and land from the carrier.

MUGEM will have a short takeoff but arrested recovery configuration, meaning it will not use catapults in its initial setup. The aircraft will have to generate their own power to launch via a 12-degree ski jump at the bow.

As for propulsion, the vessel will have four GE LM2500 gas turbines, each rated at about 23 megawatts. This will be combined with electric-drive functions intended to manage power more efficiently at lower speeds.

Source: https://interestingengineering.com/military/turkey-mugem-aircraft-carrier