Turkey has begun steel cutting for Portugal’s first foreign-built military vessel, launching construction of two Auxiliary Oiler and Logistics ships ordered in 2024. The 14,000-nautical-mile-range vessels will support refueling, logistics, amphibious missions, SAR, and humanitarian operations. Each can carry 20 light armored vehicles and operate helicopters and UAVs. STM leads the program with support from 30 Turkish firms. Delivery is targeted for 36 and 44 months. Turkey’s defense export expansion includes Anka-S drones for Qatar and Azerbaijan, MILGEM corvettes for Pakistan, and Roketsan weapons for Morocco.
