Focused on five key areas including energy, maritime trade routes, global economy, security of the Black Sea and Eastern Mediterranean, Türkiye aims to bolster its deterrent capabilities and protect its national interests. Enter the Turkish Naval Forces Command, now enhanced with locally-made weapons and vessels.

The navy is deploying modern submarines and enhancing its air defense with the TF-2000 frigate. Advanced technologies such as electronic warfare systems and directed energy weapons are also in the making.

As global and regional crises unfold, the navy helps Türkiye to meet its commitment to maintaining security and peace while fulfilling its international responsibilities. Embracing the doctrine of being effective and powerful at sea as its predecessor Ottomans were once, the Republic of Türkiye in the past two decades has developed an independent defense industry capable of operating in open waters, thereby shifting geopolitical balances in its favor.

The navy plays a critical role in ensuring the security of maritime trade routes in the Eastern Mediterranean, the Black Sea and the Aegean Sea, promoting regional stability. By actively participating in operations against piracy and terrorism in international waters, Türkiye contributes to the safety of global maritime trade, ensuring the uninterrupted flow of shipping traffic. Efforts are also underway to enhance the capabilities of the navy of Somalia and establish a naval task force.

Türkiye’s strategic location makes it pivotal in the transportation of energy resources. The navy is tasked with securing undersea pipelines and other critical infrastructure. As part of seismic research activities in Somalia's maritime jurisdiction, the Turkish navy plans to escort and protect the Oruç Reis research vessel active in exploration in the Mediterranean.

NATO, beyond

The Turkish navy also actively engages in maritime security operations within NATO and other international coalitions, helping to uphold international maritime norms and enforce shipping regulations.

Türkiye is meanwhile working to create a cooperative environment in the Black Sea with other littoral states to mitigate destabilizing developments as the Russia-Ukraine conflict overshadows the region. The Black Sea is also becoming a new hub of Türkiye’s own energy interests after the discovery of natural gas reserves.

Further south, the navy is vigilant on the conflicting interests of the countries off the divided island of Cyprus where Türkiye is a guarantor state for the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). Hydrocarbon exploration work off the island put Türkiye at odds with Greek Cypriots and Greece in recent years as all claim rights in the Mediterranean. Türkiye repeatedly pledged to protect the rights of the Turkish Cypriot community on energy resources. Further west of Cyprus, the navy has two frigates stationed off the coast of Libya and provide air defense support.

In the past two decades, Türkiye reached a milestone by designing and producing its own warships. The TCG Heybeliada, the first indigenous corvette, was commissioned in 2011, followed by projects for indigenous frigates and destroyers. The ADVENT combat management system, developed domestically, represents a significant achievement, enhancing the capabilities of the Turkish navy.

To address potential future threats, the navy is updating its roadmap based on risk analyses, focusing on asymmetric threats such as piracy, terrorism and cyber risks. The development of unmanned maritime and aerial vehicles, along with enhanced cyber defense systems, is prioritized.

As Türkiye adapts to evolving maritime challenges, ongoing modernization efforts include upgrading naval technology, enhancing training for personnel and reinforcing preparations against asymmetric threats. Ensuring the safety of undersea resources, particularly energy lines in the Eastern Mediterranean, remains a top priority for the Turkish navy.

Last month, the country commissioned its first of planned six Reis-class submarines in a ceremony held in the southwestern province of Muğla as President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan announced plans for the country to bolster its naval capabilities further through an indigenous submarine project. "Submarines are the primary strategic elements of our naval forces. The TCG Piri Reis, which has been commissioned today, is the first of our six submarines that have an air-independent propulsion system," Erdoğan said addressing the opening of Akyaz Shipyard Command and naval platform delivery ceremony. The Piri Reis submarine, the first of its class, was launched in 2019, having a length of 68.35 meters (224.25 feet) and a capacity of 40 personnel. As part of his opening remarks, the president stressed the need to maintain a "strong and effective navy" to safeguard Türkiye’s peace and security, both within its territorial waters and in far-flung regions. "We are aware that to live peacefully in our lands, we must have a strong and effective navy both in our Blue Homeland and in distant geographies," said Erdoğan, using a phrase to denote Turkish territorial waters. Stating that Ankara has done revolutionary work on the defense industry for the last 22 years, during the Justice and Development (AK) Party’s decades in power, he said Türkiye plans to commission two submarines over the next two years, the Hızır Reis in 2025 and Murat Reis in 2026. "We will strengthen our navy by commissioning all submarines within the project by 2029," he stressed.