Turkey’s state-owned defense company ASFAT has revealed the finalized design of the TF-2000 destroyer, marking a major milestone in the country’s naval modernization drive. The platform will be Turkey’s first domestically developed air and missile defense destroyer, underscoring progress in its indigenous warship program.
The project forms part of the MILGEM initiative, which aims to enhance Turkey’s self-reliance in naval shipbuilding. Measuring 149 meters in length, the TF-2000 has been engineered to deliver layered protection against a wide spectrum of threats, including guided and ballistic missiles of varying ranges.
Unveiled at the IDEF 2025 defense exhibition in Istanbul, the destroyer’s design highlights advanced integration of local technologies. A key feature is the reinforced mast, built to accommodate the ASELSAN CAFRAD radar suite, a dual-band active electronically scanned array (AESA) system designed to detect and track high-speed aerial threats.
With this development, Turkey positions itself among the limited group of nations capable of building large surface combatants with advanced missile defense capabilities, strengthening both national security and export potential.
