Turkey has announced plans to invest €350 million in expanding its Aksaz naval base located in Muğla province as part of a NATO-backed naval expansion initiative.
The Turkish Naval Forces Command revealed that the project was given the green light on April 5, 2024, under NATO’s Naval Capability Enhancement Plan (NMCP). The expansion aims to enhance the existing infrastructure to accommodate larger vessels, including helicopter carriers and aircraft carriers from allied nations.
Situated on Turkey’s Mediterranean coast, Aksaz naval base plays a pivotal role in defending the southern coastline and projecting power in the eastern Mediterranean. The base will also host Turkey’s flagship vessels, such as the amphibious assault ship TCG Anadolu and Air Independent Propulsion submarines, addressing maintenance and logistical needs.
“This is our largest ongoing project, involving the construction of piers and dock facilities for our naval assets,” stated Rear Admiral Tayfun Özel, who heads the Navy’s engineering supply department. Preparations are underway for the Ministry of Defense to open a tender in 2025.
The investment plan, part of NATO’s NMCP initiative, also includes building new docks and upgrading logistics systems with advanced maintenance and ship traffic management technologies. Rear Admiral Özel emphasized that these developments are funded by both national and NATO resources.
A ceremony held on August 27, 2023, marked the inauguration of the Aksaz Shipyard Command, attended by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Defense Minister Yaşar Güler, and Turkish Naval Forces Commander Ercüment Tatlıoğlu. The project, which further solidifies Turkey’s footprint in the resource-rich eastern Mediterranean, aims to bolster regional cooperation and strengthen NATO’s southern flank, according to military officials.