MUGEM-class aircraft carrier
| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Name | Milli Uçak Gemisi (National Aircraft Carrier) |
| Builders | Istanbul Naval Shipyard |
| Operators |  Turkish Naval Forces |
| Preceded by | Anadolu class |
| Planned | 1 |
| General characteristics [1] | |
| Type | Aircraft carrier |
| Displacement | 60,000 t (59,000 long tons) full load |
| Length | 285 m (935 ft 0 in) |
| Beam | 72 m (236 ft 3 in) |
| Draft | 10.1 m (33 ft 2 in) |
| Propulsion | 4x LM2500 gas turbines |
| Speed |
|
| Range | 10,000 nautical miles (19,000 km; 12,000 mi) |
| Crew | 800+ |
| Armament | |
| Aircraft carried | Up to 50 |
| Aviation facilities | Hangar for 30 aircraft |
The MUGEM-class aircraft carrier is an initiative by the Turkish Navy to build a fully indigenous carrier. MUGEM stands for Milli Uçak Gemisi, meaning National Aircraft Carrier.[1][2]
Development
[edit]Plans for a future Turkish aircraft carrier were first announced in October 2023 by the president of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, as a cooperation between Spain and Turkey.[3]
On 25 April 2024 new details were released when press was welcomed at the Istanbul Naval Shipyard. Contrary to earlier news, it was revealed that the future aircraft carrier was not a development on the TCG Anadolu, but a completely new designed ship.[4]
A model of the ship was first shown at the 2024 SAHA EXPO, with further details being released, like propulsion, dimensions, design elements.[1]
Flight deck
[edit]MUGEM is being designed in a STOBAR configuration with a modular ski-jump at the bow. The Turkish defence industry is also underway at developing an indigenous catapult system. With the ski-jump being modular by design, this can be removed and the ship could be reconfigured as a CATOBAR carrier.[1]
Aircraft
[edit]The ship is planned to carry a mixture of different type of aircraft, both manned and unmanned.[1]
Potential aircraft include:
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e "Turkish Navy Unveils MUGEM: A Fully Indigenous Aircraft Carrier". Naval News. Retrieved 30 October 2024.
- ^ "Turkey Releases Plans For Next Aircraft Carrier". The National Interest. Retrieved 30 October 2024.
- ^ "Erdogan announces agreement with Spain on aircraft carrier construction". Nordic Monitor. Retrieved 30 October 2024.
- ^ "New details about Turkiye's future aircraft carrier". Naval News. Retrieved 30 October 2024.