On Tuesday, 25 November 2025, the German company TKMS announced that the submarine TCG Hızır Reis (S-331), the second of six Type 214TN Reis-class boats (initially designated as CERBE) being built under the YTDP (Yeni Tip Denizaltı Projesi, New Type Submarine Project), has entered service with the Turkish Navy (Türk Deniz Kuvvetleri). The keel of the vessel was laid in 2016 at the Gölcük Naval Shipyard (GNSY) in Kocaeli Province on the Sea of Marmara, and it was launched on 23 May 2022.
Photo: TKMS
During Tuesday’s ceremony, the submarine was formally handed over to the customer — the Turkish Presidency of Defence Industries (Savunma Sanayii Başkanlığı, SSB). It joins the first unit, TCG Piri Reis (S-330), which was delivered on 24 August 2024 (with the flag raised in October of the same year).
The handover protocol signing ceremony was attended by representatives of the SSB, the Gölcük Naval Shipyard, the Turkish Navy, and TKMS.
Christian Rogge, EVP Submarines at TKMS, said:
“All parties involved have shown a high level of commitment and willingness to cooperate since the start of the project – this is the only way to realize projects of this scope within the set time and cost framework. The handover now underscores the good partnership between TKMS, GNSY, and the Turkish Navy.”
As part of the cooperation between TKMS and the Turkish Navy, the German company is responsible for the design, delivery of all materials, and oversight of the construction phase at the Gölcük Naval Shipyard, as well as for testing. Following this period, an 18-month warranty applies. The license was granted on 2 July 2009, but due to delays in technology implementation by Turkish contractors, the contract was not signed until 2016, although initial construction work on the prototype had begun a year earlier.
Project manager Bernd Krekeler:
“I would like to express my sincere thanks to the entire team for reaching this milestone – especially the project teams in Kiel and Gölcük. Whether in engineering, production, purchasing or IT, the experience gained from building the first boat, as well as the commitment and individual expertise of each and every one of us, means that we are right on track with the project. The handover of the second boat is a strong sign of this.”
Production of the remaining four submarines is already underway and at various stages of development. According to the schedule of the state-owned GNSY shipyard, delivery of the third unit is planned for about a year from now – the keel for the future TCG Murat Reis (S-332) was laid on 25 February 2018, and it was launched on 8 June 2024.
As for the remaining three, the keel for the future TCG Aydın Reis (S-333) was laid on 4 November 2018, for TCG Seydi Ali Reis (S-334) on 22 December 2019, and for TCG Selman Reis (S-335) on 23 May 2022. Deliveries are planned at one-year intervals, specifically in 2027, 2028, and 2029.
The new-generation submarines, equipped with Air Independent Propulsion (AIP), will replace the four Type 209/1200 Atılay-class units: TCG Batıray (S-349), Yıldıray (S-350), Doğanay (S-351), and Dolunay (S-352), introduced into service in the 1970s (two of which are now used only for testing and training).
The new submarines are 68.35 m long, 13.1 m in overall height (including 6.8 m hull height), and 6.3 m wide. Their surfaced displacement is 1,856 tonnes and submerged displacement 2,013 tonnes. Compared to the original CERBE design, the submarine’s length has increased by 2.05 m.
The participation of Turkish industry in the project is estimated at around 80%. Aselsan supplies the ARES-2N electronic support system for detecting, analyzing, classifying, and identifying hostile radars; the ALPER surface-search radar; the integrated onboard communication system; an X-band satellite communication system; and the periscope thermal imaging system. Milsoft supplies the Link-11/22 data exchange system, while Atlas Elektronik provides the ISUS-90/72 combat management system, the SEDA sonar management system, and the TorAKS torpedo fire-control system. KOÇ Savunma supplies the Ultra Electronics Sea Crypsis anti-torpedo system.
In addition, AYESAŞ provides consoles for the combat management system; TÜBİTAK-MAM provides life-support and battery-control systems for the propulsion system, as well as hydrophones; Roketsan supplies the Akya heavy torpedoes; and STM is responsible for integrating roughly 18,000 subsystems, organizing the technical-support supply chain, and the batteries themselves.
Earlier plans called for the submarines to receive heavy torpedoes, the U.S. Mk 48 Mod 6AT and the German DM2A4, as well as U.S. UGM-84 Harpoon Block I/II anti-ship missiles. However, it has now been confirmed that they will be equipped with domestic systems: the planned Gezgin cruise missiles (referred to as the “Turkish Tomahawks”), ATMACA Block I/II anti-ship missiles introduced into service in 2022 (a Sub-ATMACA variant is under development), and the Anya torpedoes.
Turkey is currently working on further generations of domestically produced submarines. On 2 January of this year, steel cutting began for the prototype of the conventional MİLDEN (Millî Denizaltı) class. On 27 May, a new program was announced for the construction of a nuclear-powered submarine, designated NÜKDEN (Nükleer Tahrikli Denizaltı). It is not yet clear how many submarines of either class will eventually be ordered.
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