Turkey is pushing forward with the development of its submarine program, having witnessed its first Type 214 class submarine TCG Piri Reis hit the water on December 22 at the Gölcük Shipyard in northwestern Turkey.
The country is building a fleet of six new Type 214 air-independent propulsion submarines under a contract signed with German ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems in 2009. They are approximately 65 meters long and reach speeds of 20 knots while submerged.
Construction on the first boat in the class, TCG Piri Reis started in 2015. However, technical and financial issues delayed the program by an estimated six years and the first submarine in the class is now expected to be delivered to the navy in 202o.
The ceremony, presided over the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, also included the steel cutting for the fifth submarine of the class, TCG Seydi Ali Reis.
Speaking at the ceremony, Erdoğan said that as of 2020, one submarine will go into service each year, with all six submarines from the project set to be completed by 2027.
Bakan Akar: “Bugüne kadar mazlum ve mağdurların yanında olduk. Bugün Suriye’de olduğu gibi Libya’da da barış, huzur ve güvenlik sağlanana kadar Libyalı kardeşlerimizin yanında olmaya devam edeceğiz.” https://t.co/gfk8aZV3hT #MSB #HulusiAkar #PİRİREİS pic.twitter.com/NTfwdyLyCx
— T.C. Millî Savunma Bakanlığı (@tcsavunma) December 22, 2019