2024-05-03 05:29:13
Istanbul: Recep Tayyip Erdogan, known as the Caliph of Turkey, dreams of making his country a major maritime power in the Mediterranean region. To fulfill this ambition, Turkey has recently started the construction of an aircraft carrier. Recently, the Design Project Office (DPO) at the Istanbul Naval Shipyard, responsible for the design of Turkey’s first aircraft carrier, released new details about the new ship. According to the DPO, the construction of Turkey’s first aircraft carrier will be completed using entirely domestic resources and expertise, without foreign assistance. It is believed that this aircraft carrier will be used especially against Greece.
Türkiye’s carrier will have three runways
The initiative is believed to underline Turkey’s ability to independently undertake major naval projects. This new aircraft carrier will have three runways, two of which will be designated for takeoff and one for landing. Initially, it will not include an aircraft launching system. Instead, the DPO plans to equip it with a modular ramp system. However, Turkish engineers aim to develop an indigenous aircraft launching system to replace the initial modular ramps.
50 fighter planes will be deployed simultaneously
The DPO revealed that 50 fighter planes can be deployed simultaneously on Turkey’s first aircraft carrier. Of these, 20 will be deployed on the deck and 30 will be housed within the hangar. Various aircraft are expected to be deployed on the aircraft carrier, including the “Harjet” light combat aircraft and the “Anka-3” unmanned combat aircraft developed by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI). Additionally, it will also be deployed with “Kizilemla” unmanned combat aircraft and “Baykartar TB-3” armed drone developed by Baykar Technology.
Türkiye will equip its own defense system
Initial reports suggest that Turkey is planning to develop a naval variant of the fifth-generation fighter aircraft “KAAN“. This naval variant of KAAN will be deployed on aircraft carriers, although details are still in the early stages. Turkey’s Defense Industry has stated that as the project progresses, the number of aircraft to be deployed on the aircraft carrier will increase. Currently, the aircraft carrier is set to be equipped with MIDLAS 32-cell VLS (Vertical Launching System) for air defense missiles and four Gokdeniz Close-In Weapon Systems (CIWS) for self-defense.
Aircraft carrier will be 285 meters long
In terms of technical specifications, Turkey’s new aircraft carrier will have a length of 285 meters and is expected to weigh approximately 60,000 tons. This makes it a medium-sized ship compared to the British HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales. In contrast, American aircraft carriers weigh up to 100,000 tons. The Turkish aircraft carrier will be powered by combined gas turbine and gas turbine (COGAG) engines, which will enable it to reach a speed of 25 knots.