Turkey has begun construction of MILDEN, its first fully indigenous submarine, at Gölcük Shipyard. The effort follows the launch of the TF-2000 destroyer project and forms part of Ankara’s Steel Dome air- and sea-defense modernization initiative. Turkey’s defense sector has rapidly expanded, signing 275.9B TRY ($6.5B) in contracts last week alone. The move reflects a global trend toward sovereign undersea manufacturing, with South Korea’s KSS-III, India’s Kalvari and Arihant classes, and Australia’s SEA 1000 program all advancing domestic submarine capabilities.
