TR Aircraft Carrier and Amphibious Ship Programs

[dBSPL]

The first thing that catches the attention of foreigners in this concept model is a twin-engined and unmanned main combatant jets. There are no active examples in the world's navies, and in the next 20 years, there will be a combat aviation approach that we will rarely see first generation examples in the world's navies. Whether or not we will be able to handle this is a matter for another discussion, but if the topic of discussion is the near future naval aviation trends and fields of work in naval combatant aviation, it is a fact that we are also focusing on this, and that we are even pursuing ambitious work on our own scale. One is an agile-designed interceptor jet, and the other is a flexible platform capable of undertaking a variety of strategic missions, from penetrator bomber to tactical aerial refueling. Both programs will be forked with different variants in the future. There are those who think that Turkiye will fail in this area, and there are those who are in a wait-and-see mode.

On the other side, main focus of our local social media and Turkish defense enthusiasts circles was the Hürjet. Sometimes we get stuck in really narrow preconceptions. I dont know that we think that the navy, which wants to land stealth penetrator bomber aircraft and twin-engined unmanned interceptor jets on the same ship, will be content with the specs of the Hürjet only, even its AJT variant specs. Hürjet may never be the main fighter on this aircraft. Perhaps it will be designed as an air control aircraft for unmanned platforms, we don't know yet. But there are those who think that after the Hürjet Naval adaptation, the Turkish aviation industry and the naval air force will say gentlemen, okay, there is no need for further work, this is enough! My guess is that there is a direct manned combat naval jet work, but it is not yet declassified, and considering the aviation programs, the air force has the highest priority, so they cannot put the concept model on the ship models yet. KE's situation is different. Baykar is already developing platforms directly for the navy. On the TAI side, the KAAN configuration desired by the air force should be revealed first.

Edit: Of course, there is something else. The wingspan of the model shown as the naval variant of the Hürjet is at least 9.5 meters, and perhaps, efforts are being made to increase it to over 10 meters. The F-35B is an aircraft that can fit anywhere the Hurjet can fit, perhaps not in volume or wing area but in width and length.

 

[Sanchez]

Akbaba claims MUGEM will start construction in 2025. Much faster than I anticipated. @Anmdt if navy decides to build it themselves, do they currently have a slipway ready for it in Istanbul or would it be made in a private shipyard, maybe like Sedef again?

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1854813779667644799

 

[Anmdt]

Akbaba claims MUGEM will start construction in 2025. Much faster than I anticipated. @Anmdt if navy decides to build it themselves, do they currently have a slipway ready for it in Istanbul or would it be made in a private shipyard, maybe like Sedef again?

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1854813779667644799

I can call this total BS.

Before the construction starts, since TN wants to build it in Pendik Naval Shipyard (Istanbul Shipyard Command, ITK), the drydock has to be renovated and adapted. But before all, TN's first goal is to start construction of TF-2000, launch it and then take the dry dock and convert it for suitable use, for National AC.

And finally, the design is still in the cradle, neither the design office nor any person in TR currently has the slightest idea about an AC. Yes, a conceptual design can mature within a few months, up to a year, the second stage, which we call necessary, is contract / functional design, will certainly take years. But there is another constraint I mentioned before; TN wants to build it in the Naval Shipyard and there is no dry dock to support it currently, (also mind, you can't just slide an AC down from the slipway, neither the current dimensions of the slipway support it anyway). Yes it seems like the only way to build an AC in a drydock, right away. If i recall correctly TCG Anadolu was build the same way.

Another reason why AC cannot be built in private shipyards is that only Navy (i.e. state) alone can take all financial-technical risks for AC. Nevertheless, ITK will outsource the construction of some blocks similar to the British ACs.

However, this could be TCG Trakya, which will be built in Sedef shipyard. And the construction will start after the launch of the I-class hulls.

Sorry to take away everyone's excitement, but we have other priorities at the moment; Refreshing the aged frigate fleet (with Barbaros MLU, I-class orders, Ada MLU), commissioning of a light OPV class ( for overseas operations like Qatar, Somalia), TF-2000 (as the AAW backbone at sea), MILDEN with a VLS, a functional TCG Trakya with a larger deck to support larger aircraft, and STOBAR (probably) - (to practice and train an air wing before the AC), then comes the National AC as the last stone on top.​

 

[Anmdt]

I can call this total BS.

Before the construction starts, since TN wants to build it in Pendik Naval Shipyard (Istanbul Shipyard Command, ITK), the drydock has to be renovated and adapted. But before all, TN's first goal is to start construction of TF-2000, launch it and then take the dry dock and convert it for suitable use, for National AC.

And finally, the design is still in the cradle, neither the design office nor any person in TR currently has the slightest idea about an AC. Yes, a conceptual design can mature within a few months, up to a year, the second stage, which we call necessary, is contract / functional design, will certainly take years. But there is another constraint I mentioned before; TN wants to build it in the Naval Shipyard and there is no dry dock to support it currently, (also mind, you can't just slide an AC down from the slipway, neither the current dimensions of the slipway support it anyway). Yes it seems like the only way to build an AC in a drydock, right away. If i recall correctly TCG Anadolu was build the same way.

Another reason why AC cannot be built in private shipyards is that only Navy (i.e. state) alone can take all financial-technical risks for AC. Nevertheless, ITK will outsource the construction of some blocks similar to the British ACs.

However, this could be TCG Trakya, which will be built in Sedef shipyard. And the construction will start after the launch of the I-class hulls.

Sorry to take away everyone's excitement, but we have other priorities at the moment; Refreshing the aged frigate fleet (with Barbaros MLU, I-class orders, Ada MLU), commissioning of a light OPV class ( for overseas operations like Qatar, Somalia), TF-2000 (as the AAW backbone at sea), MILDEN with a VLS, a functional TCG Trakya with a larger deck to support larger aircraft, and STOBAR (probably) - (to practice and train an air wing before the AC), then comes the National AC as the last stone on top.​

We can refer to this image easily, first LHD was planned to be commissioned in 2021, however due to the circumstances it was possible in 2023 / 2024. And since the second hull (Trakya) meant to commence around the delivery of the first hull, we can say this list is valid by shift of 5 years.

 

[Strong AI]

Sorry to take away everyone's excitement

First i have to see the fixed-wing aircraft and rotary-wing aircraft, to be used on the AC, in serial production.