The 17th International Defense Industry Fair (IDEF 2025) has highlighted what many experts describe as the “golden age” of Turkish naval power. With its cutting-edge projects and growing industrial capability, Türkiye’s naval sector is demonstrating unprecedented self-reliance and technological sophistication. From indigenous fast-attack craft and submarines to advanced sensors and unmanned surface vehicles, the Turkish Navy and defense industry are together reshaping the maritime defense landscape.

According to Defense and Maritime Analyst Kozan Selçuk Erkan, the years 2024–2025 mark a pivotal phase for Turkish shipbuilding. The signing of logistic ship export deals with Portugal, new contracts with Ukraine and Malaysia, and multiple vessels under construction for the Turkish fleet showcase Türkiye’s expanding global footprint. Erkan defines 2025 as “the year of new ships, new systems, and faster production,” emphasizing that maintaining an active shipbuilding sector amid global economic stagnation is itself a strategic achievement.

Erkan underscores that Türkiye is no longer just building ships—it is producing all key subsystems domestically:

“We have reached a point where we manufacture not only the platforms but also their radars, sensors, and combat management systems. France and Italy still rely heavily on imported subsystems, but Türkiye now produces warships that are more indigenized than many of theirs. That’s the most significant milestone of 2025.”

Among the standout displays at IDEF 2025 was STM’s indigenous fast-attack craft project, which exemplifies Türkiye’s growing capability to design high-speed, modular, and export-ready naval platforms.

Erkan also points to two major trajectories shaping the future of the Turkish Navy. The first is large-scale platforms—including the national aircraft carrier, now under construction, and the next-generation submarines being built with domestic design and materials. The second is the rise of unmanned surface and underwater vehicles (USVs/UUVs). Türkiye has already proven these systems in NATO exercises and is now moving them from prototype to operational status, with export interest from multiple allies.

“Our unmanned naval vehicles are highly capable and combat-proven. Technologically, we are not behind anyone; in fact, in some areas, we are ahead,” Erkan notes.

IDEF 2025 demonstrates that Türkiye’s naval industry has become a strategic pillar of its defense ecosystem, combining indigenous shipbuilding, localized subsystems, and advanced unmanned systems under one national vision. Beyond military power, this transformation signifies the emergence of a self-sufficient and export-oriented maritime industry that is propelling Türkiye into the front ranks of global naval technology.