The MUGEM-class aircraft carrier is an initiative by the Turkish Navy to build a fully indigenous carrier. MUGEM stands for Milli Uçak Gemisi, meaning National Aircraft Carrier.[1] [2]
Plans for a future Turkish aircraft carrier were first announced in October 2023 by the president of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, as a cooperation between Spain and Turkey.[3]
On 25 April 2024 new details were released when press was welcomed at the Istanbul Naval Shipyard. Contrary to earlier news, it was revealed that the future aircraft carrier was not a development on the TCG Anadolu, but a completely new designed ship.[4]
A model of the ship was first shown at the 2024 SAHA EXPO, with further details being released, like propulsion, dimensions, design elements.[1]
MUGEM is being designed in a STOBAR configuration with a modular ski-jump at the bow. The Turkish defence industry is also underway at developing an indigenous catapult system. With the ski-jump being modular by design, this can be removed and the ship could be reconfigured as a CATOBAR carrier.[1]
The ship is planned to carry a mixture of different type of aircraft, both manned and unmanned.[1]
Potential aircraft include: