The Commissioning, Flag Hoisting, and First Steel Cutting Ceremony for naval platforms was held at the Istanbul Shipyard Command, where President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan delivered a keynote address emphasizing Türkiye's growing capabilities in the defense industry.
In his remarks, President Erdoğan underlined the importance of domestic and national production in defense technologies, stating that all processes, from research and development to design, software, and mass production, are carried out using local and national resources. The President noted that Türkiye currently ranks as the world's 11th largest defense exporter and is among the ten countries globally capable of designing, building, and launching its own warships.
Sharing key performance figures, President Erdoğan stated that defense and aerospace exports increased by 30 percent year-on-year over the past 11 months, reaching USD 7.445 billion. The President added that Türkiye aims to enter the world's top ten defense and aerospace exporters by 2028, with a target of USD 11 billion in exports.
Highlighting the strategic and integrated approach behind Türkiye's defense achievements, President Erdoğan stressed that success in the sector requires a holistic vision. He noted that deterrence on land depends on strength at sea and in the air, and emphasized that Türkiye continues to expand its capacity, enhance its capabilities, and develop indigenous technologies. The President also stated that more than 3,500 companies and over 100,000 professionals actively contribute to Türkiye's defense ecosystem, dedicating their efforts to the country's long-term security.
The ceremony was attended by National Defense Minister Yaşar Güler, Commander of the Naval Forces Admiral Ercüment Tatlıoğlu, Istanbul Shipyard Commander Rear Admiral Recep Erdiç Yetkin, Commander of the Pakistan Navy Admiral Navid Ashraf, as well as senior military officials, shipyard commanders, defense industry representatives, and government officials.
As part of the program, the second vessel of the PN MİLGEM project built for the Pakistan Navy, PNS Khaibar, was delivered. In addition, the TCG Hızırreis submarine, the New Type Landing Ship Ç-159, and the ULAK Armed Unmanned Surface Vehicle (AUSV) were delivered to the Turkish Naval Forces. The ceremony also included the flag hoisting of TCG Koçhisar, the second vessel of the 10-ship Hisar-class program, and the first steel cutting of TCG Seferihisar, the seventh ship under the same program.