Successful In Making Local Warship Vertical Launcher To Replace Foreign Product, President Erdogan: We Are Now Independent

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the launch of the TCG Ufuk (A-591) ship. (Source: Presidency of The Republic of Turkiye)

JAKARTA - Turkey has produced domestic vertical launch systems (VLS) for naval platforms, replacing those obtained from abroad, with the systems also going to complement warships to be built in the near future, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said.

"Until now, we have outsourced the VLS, which is the main weapons group of our frigates. Now there is national and local production," President Erdogan quoted Daily Sabah as saying January 14.

President Erdogan made this remark during the launching ceremony of Turkey's first intelligence-gathering ship at the Istanbul Shipyard.

Designated as a test and training vessel, TCG Ufuk (A-591) was also developed and built with national resources and capabilities. On Friday, the ship was sent to the National Intelligence Organization (MIT) for joint operations with Naval Command.

Speaking further about the domestic VLS, President Erdogan said it would equip the Istanbul Frigate, the fifth ship built under the MILGEM (National Ship) project and launched last year.

Launch of the Turkish Navy ship TCG Ufuk (A-591) (Source: Presidency of The Republic of Turkiye)

Under MILGEM, the Turkish shipyard has delivered four corvettes to the navy so far. They also build warships for friendly and allied countries, namely Pakistan and Ukraine.

The country recently launched a tender for three new MILGEM corvettes to be built under a public-private partnership. The three corvettes will also be equipped with domestic VLS, Erdogan said.

"We are now designing and producing many weapons, sensors, radars, management systems domestically, such as our Atmaca anti-ship missile or the Gökdeniz short-range weapons system (CIWS)," said President Erdogan.

Depending on overseas procurement of the VLS, Turkey is set to purchase the MK41 VLS from the United States for the frigate Istanbul. However, this changed because of a United States embargo that prevented purchases, accelerating domestic efforts to develop such a system at home.

To note, Ankara aspires to realize the independence of vital sectors in the defense system, driven by several official or unofficial embargoes and sales restrictions experienced in the country's recent history.

As for the naval industry, it is one of the main branches that has advanced as the steps taken have developed the navy rapidly.