Turkey Docks Second Reis-class Air-Independent Propulsion Submarine

Turkey expects to deliver six domestically made submarines equipped with air independent propulsion (AIP) to the Turkish Naval Forces by 2027, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said Monday.

Speaking at a ceremony for the docking of the Hızır Reis submarine, the second in the series and the first welding of the Selman Reis submarine at Gölcük Shipyard Command in northwestern Kocaeli province, the president said Turkey aims to put into service a new domestically made submarine each year, to ensure that the navy has six new submarines by 2027.

"Our submarines, which weigh 1,856 tons above water and 2,042 tons when submerged, can go to a depth of more than 300 meters. Our submarines, which can operate for three days underwater, can stay in water for 12 weeks without the need for resupply," he said.

"The submarines have the ability to launch various types of torpedoes, missiles, and mines. We are also integrating our national torpedo Akya and our national anti-ship missile Atmaca into our submarines with air-independent propulsion capability,” Erdoğan said.
The president added that the Hızır Reis submarine will be put into service in 2023 and the Selman Reis in 2027.

On March 23, 2021, the Golcuk Naval Shipyard floated out the leading boat of the project, TCG Piri Reis.

Turkish submarine builders have sourced AIP technology is based on fuel cells from the German Howaldswerke-Deutsche Werft (HDW). The AIP system employs fuel cell technology, including a PEM Fuel Cell (2x120kw) and high capacity batteries (232 units), AIP systems allows the submarines to sustain long underwater deployments without the need to frequently surface to re-charge its batteries.