The Turkish Navy’s first Type 214 air-independent propulsion submarine was launched in a ceremony at the Gölcük Naval Shipyard on December 23.
The ceremony was attended by Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan alongside high-ranking military and naval officials.
The future TCG Reis is now scheduled to undergo final outfitting works before starting sea trials. It is scheduled for delivery in 2021.
Construction on the lead boat started in 2015 but the program was delayed by an estimated six years by technical and financial issues. The submarines are being built under a transfer of technology agreement with German submarine specialist ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems.
In addition to Turkey, ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems has exported the submarines to Portugal, Republic of Korea and Greece.
The Turkish project includes a high level of local industry participation. Turkish defense contractors are taking part in the delivery of a majority of submarine systems, including new Akya torpedoes, torpedo countermeasures, combat and communication systems and electronic subsystems.
The boats displace a little under 2,000 tons at a length of 65 meters and reach speeds of 20 knots while submerged.
Turkey is also starting its indigenous submarine construction program that will see the country independently develop and build its own submarines. Dubbed “MILDEN-Milli Denizalti”, the project was launched earlier this year and is expected to come to fruition in the late 2030s when the first submarine under the program is expected to be delivered to the Turkish Navy.
