Is Türkiye’s New Submarine Launch a Strategic Move Amid Geopolitical Tensions in the Region?

Türkiye's drive to produce more defence hardware at home got a major boost last week. The TCG Piri Reis, named after a 16th-century Ottoman navigator, has formally entered service. The diesel-electric powered submarine will be the lead ship of a growing fleet of underwater vessels that Turkiye says will project naval power - both along its shores, and further abroad.

Stretching nearly 70 metres long and with a displacement weight of 1,850 tons, the TCG Piri Reis is one of six submarines Turkiye will launch before the end of the decade. The ship is the latest in a series of major upgrades for the Turkish navy after last year's commissioning of the TCG Anadolu, which has been touted as the world's first drone carrier. All are a part of Türkiye's Blue Homeland strategy of protecting the country's territorial waters. Israel's ongoing war on Gaza and its attacks on southern Lebanon have also raised fears that the conflict could spill over into the energy-rich Eastern Mediterranean, which has already seen tense standoffs over competing maritime claims.

Guests:
Suha Cubukcuoglu
Senior Researcher at TRENDS Research and Advisory

Emete Gozuguzelli
Associate Professor at Ankara Social Sciences University TRNC Campus

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