Türkiye's National Aircraft Carrier: Rising with a 10,000-nautical-mile range and 40 MW of power

The National Aircraft Carrier Forum, held at the Istanbul Naval Shipyard Command as part of TEKNOFEST Blue Homeland, shared the project's technical details and the ship's potential features with the public. Turkish Naval Forces personnel at the forum provided comprehensive information about the national aircraft carrier's design and engineering process.

The national aircraft carrier has a range of 10,000 nautical miles, capable of navigating to New York and back without refueling. Engineer First Lieutenant Aykut Demirezen stated that the ship's intermediate propulsion system and main engines were selected by examining the main propulsion systems of aircraft carriers worldwide and tailored to Türkiye's needs.

TUSAŞ Engine Industries Inc. General Manager Mahmut Faruk Akşit also attended the forum.

The ship's installed capacity is planned at 40 MW. This capacity is sufficient to meet the electricity needs of approximately 3,000 homes simultaneously. The electrical system is designed to provide redundant power for all ship needs, including lighting, heating, ventilation, air conditioning, communications, and weapons systems. Additionally, a 6,600-volt high-voltage system and an alarm-sensor-based remote monitoring system enhance the ship's operational security.

A model of the National Aircraft Carrier was presented as a gift to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who delivered the opening speech of TEKNOFEST Blue Homeland.

The national aircraft carrier will be equipped with the 750-kilometer-range ÇAFRAD radar system, developed in Türkiye. Engineer First Lieutenant Ebubekir Er explained that the ship has also been integrated with a 32-cell national vertical launch system, which can launch both air defense and offensive missiles.

360-degree electro-optical surveillance system,

Close air defense and close defense weapons,

Electronic support and electronic attack systems,

Sonar and underwater jamming systems against underwater threats,

All these systems were analyzed according to real warfare scenarios, the ship's weaknesses were identified, and the design was optimized.

President Erdoğan welded the final module of the test ramp developed for the National Aircraft Carrier (MUGEM).

Engineer First Lieutenant Yavuz Alp Oğuzalp emphasized that the ship was designed around a "survivability concept." Radar-absorbing materials and special superstructure designs are used to reduce the ship's radar cross-section. Furthermore, shielding systems that provide resistance to underwater, surface, and internal explosions enhance the ship's security.

The ship also features special protection systems against CBRN (Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear) attacks. This maintains atmospheric pressure at a certain level, ensuring the crew can safely perform their duties.

The national aircraft carrier project stands out as a concrete demonstration of Türkiye's independent and powerful military capacity at sea. The forum emphasized that all design and engineering work is being carried out using national resources.

At the forum held within the scope of TEKNOFEST Blue Homeland, it was revealed that the national aircraft carrier will be a world-class platform with both its technical capacity and modern defense systems.