KAAN Takes to the Sea: Türkiye Eyes Elite Status with Carrier-Capable Fifth-Generation Fighter Aircraft
Albay Ucar, Director of the Naval Design Project Office (DPO), emphasized in a recent interview that the aircraft carrier project will catapult Türkiye into the exclusive club of just eight nations capable of fielding a fully operational aircraft carrier.
(DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA) – In a dramatic leap forward for naval aviation, Türkiye has announced plans to develop a carrier-capable variant of its fifth-generation KAAN fighter, intended to operate from its first indigenous aircraft carrier, the 60,000-ton MUGEM, now under construction.
Albay Ucar, Director of the Naval Design Project Office (DPO), emphasized in a recent interview that the aircraft carrier project will catapult Türkiye into the exclusive club of just eight nations capable of fielding a fully operational aircraft carrier.
The MUGEM (Milli Uçak Gemisi) is designed to accommodate a spectrum of Turkish-made aerial platforms, dramatically enhancing the Turkish Navy’s power projection capabilities far beyond the Eastern Mediterranean.
According to Ucar, feasibility studies are actively underway to modify the KAAN fighter for naval operations, enabling catapult-assisted takeoff and arrested landings from the carrier’s expansive flight deck.
“If a naval variant of KAAN is developed, we are working closely with Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) to ensure full compatibility for takeoff and landing operations on the aircraft carrier,” Ucar affirmed.
The KAAN fighter, spearheaded by Turkish Aerospace Industries, is the centerpiece of Türkiye’s next-gen airpower doctrine, and is projected to enter service with the Turkish Air Force (TuAF) by 2028, with over 100 units planned by 2032.
In addition to the KAAN naval variant, Ucar confirmed that the MUGEM carrier will operate a diverse air wing that includes both manned and unmanned platforms.
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These will include Baykar’s cutting-edge Kizilelma stealth UCAV, the navalized Bayraktar TB3, TAI’s HÜRJET light combat aircraft, and the stealthy ANKA-3 UCAV—all tailored for carrier operations.
“Our domestically produced aircraft, including Baykar’s Kizilelma and Bayraktar TB3, as well as TAI’s HÜRJET and ANKA-3, will be fully capable of taking off and landing from our aircraft carrier,” he noted.
Construction of the MUGEM commenced in January this year at Istanbul Shipyard, marking a historic milestone in Türkiye’s indigenous naval build-up and its long-term ambition to field blue-water capabilities.
The carrier will eclipse all previous Turkish warships, with a full displacement of 60,000 tons—more than double the TCG Anadolu’s 28,000 tons—and a length of 285 meters, placing it in the same class as the UK’s HMS Queen Elizabeth.
Unlike the TCG Anadolu, which was optimized for unmanned drone operations, the MUGEM will function as a fully capable aircraft carrier designed to deploy both manned fighter jets and advanced UAVs.
The DPO previously confirmed in February 2023 that the entirety of MUGEM’s construction would be led by Turkish engineers and domestic industry, reflecting a decisive shift away from foreign technical dependency.
60,000 tonnes MUGEM
MUGEM’s air wing is expected to accommodate up to 50 aircraft, with 20 stationed on the flight deck and 30 housed within the hangar—an air complement rivaling mid-tier NATO carriers.
The carrier will support both fixed-wing and rotary assets, including utility and attack helicopters, thereby enabling multirole air operations in contested maritime zones.
With a top speed of 25 knots and an operational range of 10,000 nautical miles at cruising speed, MUGEM will offer Türkiye long-range strike and strategic mobility across the Mediterranean, Red Sea, and potentially into the Indian Ocean.
Propulsion will be provided by four General Electric LM2500 gas turbines, driving two adjustable propellers to maximize agility in congested or high-threat littoral waters.
A key innovation lies in the ship’s flight deck configuration, which will include three runways—two for landings and one for takeoff—supported by a state-of-the-art electromagnetic launch system (EMALS) under development by Turkish engineers.
Initial design concepts considered a modular ski-jump ramp, but the Turkish Navy has opted for the more advanced EMALS technology, aligning with trends seen in U.S. Gerald R. Ford-class carriers.
The MUGEM’s onboard defensive systems will be equally formidable, incorporating a 32-cell MİDLAS Vertical Launch System (VLS) for long-range missile defense against aerial and surface threats.
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Close-in protection will be ensured by four GÖKDENİZ CIWS installations and seven ASELSAN STOP 25mm Remote-Controlled Weapon Systems—specifically designed to intercept drones, suicide boats, and other asymmetric threats.
Once fully operational, MUGEM will host a complement of approximately 800 crew, trained to operate the vessel in high-intensity conflict environments including A2/AD zones.
The project is emblematic of Ankara’s pivot toward self-sufficiency in advanced naval systems, and its growing assertiveness in the increasingly contested waters of the Eastern Mediterranean, Aegean Sea, and beyond.
By integrating carrier-capable fifth-generation fighters, stealth drones, and layered air defense systems into a domestically-built platform, Türkiye is asserting itself as a new heavyweight in regional maritime security.
As geopolitical friction mounts in the Eastern Mediterranean and Red Sea—exacerbated by energy disputes, drone warfare, and rival naval deployments—MUGEM will offer Türkiye the ability to shape events far from its shores.
With construction proceeding and the navalized KAAN on the horizon, MUGEM stands to become not just a symbol of Türkiye’s defense ambitions, but a catalyst in the evolving balance of naval power across multiple regions.
