Two steel-producing companies, Kardemir and Erdemir located in TR has successfully developed high yield steel recipes, unrelated to each other, and produced the samples for evaluations. The production quality and samples have succeeded in presumed ranges, consistency of quality is superb in comparison to what imported earlier, for HY80 and HY100 steels. HY80 is matured and ready for production following the certification process, HY100 is yet to mature and go through certification and they both are studying the recipe for HY120-grade that will be applied on special spots of some submarines.
The companies have also commenced (earlier supplied for national projects only) to supply DH grade shipbuilding steels for naval and naval-related applications in TR and several abroad applications amid the supply crisis emerged due to Ukraine-Russia war. The steel is slightly more expensive yet provides a higher quality (in terms of consistency of the product).
Another company that better to keep unnamed as of now is focusing on production of large single piece support members that is responsible of carrying pressure loads: ring stiffeners. The production, compared to profiles used in warships has much tighter tolerances and requires special rigs that will be produced with local resources.
Gölcük Naval Shipyard is upgrading the facility and construction rings that is utilized for pressure hull sections, the primary goal is to enlarge diameter allowed within the rigs, and later making them flexible that will be adjustable according to the diameter of the pressure hull. This implies, Milden as of now, is not the only submarine within Navy's plan, there is another one likely to fill the gap of Type 1200-1400 in medium term. Milden is an upgrade to the fleet, not replacement of an aging class.
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