Turkey Launches Newest Corvette

DEFENSE AND TECHNOLOGY -- President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reiterated Turkey’s goal of self-sufficiency in defense as he launched a new warship on Saturday.

Speaking at the launch of the TCG Burgazada, an indigenously produced corvette, at the Istanbul naval shipyard, Erdogan said Turkey would soon “be in a position to make our own aircraft carriers. Turkey, especially, cannot stall on defense industry and military issues because of our strategic geographical location.”

The president has previously said Turkey’s defense industry will be self-sufficient by 2023, the centenary of the declaration of the republic.

The Burgazada is the third Ada-class corvette produced under the MILGEM project. The first was the Heybeliada, launched in 2008.

More