TCG Piri Reis (S-330)

TCG Piri Reis (S-330) is one of the Reis-class submarines built under the New Type Submarine Project (YTDP) for the Command of the Turkish Naval Forces.^【1】 The submarine was delivered to the Turkish Naval Forces during a ceremony held at the Aksaz Naval Base Command on 24 August 2024.^【2】 It is named after Piri Reis, the 16th-century Ottoman admiral and cartographer.

^{The commissioning ceremony of TCG Piri Reis. (}AA⁾

^{Construction activities at Gölcük Shipyard. (}Savunma Sanayii Başkanlığı⁾

The New Type Submarine Procurement Project, led by the Presidency of Defense Industries (SSB), aims to construct six submarines at the Gölcük Naval Shipyard Command with maximum Turkish industrial participation, designed to operate for extended periods in enemy-controlled maritime areas and capable of launching guided munitions against surface targets, equipped with Air-Independent Propulsion (AIP) systems.^【3】

Under the project executed by the Presidency of Defense Industries, coordinated institutions include the Ministry of National Defense, the Ministry of Treasury and Finance, the Ministry of Industry and Technology, the Ministry of Trade, the Command of the Turkish Naval Forces, TÜBİTAK, the General Directorate of Shipyards, and the Gölcük Naval Shipyard Command.

Construction of the first submarine of the New Type Submarine Project, TCG Piri Reis, began in September 2015. Chief Shipbuilder Colonel Bora Bozduman stated in his remarks that the submarines are constructed using HY-grade high-strength steel and that the submarines under construction have an overall length of approximately 68 meters and a pressure hull diameter of 6.3 meters.^【4】

Section 50, the bow section housing the torpedo tubes, is a component produced by only a few countries worldwide and was manufactured for the first time in Türkiye under the engineering and coordination of STM.^【5】 Thanks to Section 50, the Reis-class submarines are armed with eight 533 mm torpedo tubes. The production of Section 50 was carried out at the facilities of Gürdesan Gemi Makinaları Sanayii Ticaret A.Ş. in Yalova.^【6】

^{Section 50 baş bölümünün teslimatı. (}AA⁾

Following its launch into the dry dock, TCG Piri Reis underwent a comprehensive testing process comprising Factory Acceptance Tests (FAT), Harbor Acceptance Tests (HAT), and Sea Acceptance Tests (SAT). During the sea trials, the submarine conducted operations in the Sea of Marmara to verify its systems. The testing process included comprehensive evaluations of the propulsion system, diving capability, weapons systems, and electronic equipment.

According to information released by the Presidency of Defense Industries, the submarines under the New Type Submarine Project are 68.35 meters long, have a pressure hull outer diameter of 6.3 meters, and a surface displacement of 1,850 tons. They have a crew capacity of 40 personnel. According to the same source, the submarines are equipped with advanced high-speed torpedoes and the capability to launch guided munitions against surface targets, and possess the ability to operate stealthily for extended durations.

^{Infographic related to the New Type Submarine Project. (}AA⁾

Thanks to fuel cell technology, the submarines are the first in the Turkish Naval Forces to feature air-independent propulsion capabilities. This system enables the submarine to conduct prolonged covert operations without surfacing.

The Reis-class submarines are armed via eight 533 mm torpedo tubes located in Section 50. This section houses the systems responsible for launching the submarine’s primary weapons and guided munitions.

TCG Piri Reis is the first of six submarines planned to enter service by 2027 under the New Type Submarine Project. The second submarine of the program, TCG Hızır Reis, is scheduled for commissioning in 2025, and the third, TCG Murat Reis, is targeted for commissioning in 2026.

^{Reis-class submarines under construction at the Gölcük Shipyard Command. (}AA⁾

TCG Piri Reis was commissioned during a ceremony held on 24 August 2024 at the Aksaz Naval Base Command, attended by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. In his speech at the ceremony, President Erdoğan stated that the Turkish Armed Forces are being strengthened in all domains.^【2】

As part of the standard equipment of the Type-214 class submarines, TCG Piri Reis is equipped with passive and active sonar systems. The submarine features noise reduction technologies, vibration isolation systems, and low magnetic signature characteristics, all of which ensure minimal acoustic signature.

The engineering experience gained through the New Type Submarine Project provides the foundation for the next phase of Türkiye’s long-term submarine strategy: the National Submarine (MİLDEN) Project. Chief Engineer of Platform Systems Design at the National Submarine Design Project Office, Colonel İzzet Emre Afacan, emphasized that the MİLDEN Project will enable Türkiye to develop indigenous submarine design capabilities. Afacan noted that 28 personnel, including 23 engineers and five technical draftsmen, are currently assigned to the office and that this number is expected to grow according to project phases. He explained that the submarine design process consists of concept, preliminary control, and detailed design stages, during which the design of main and auxiliary systems is refined, and coordination is maintained with both domestic and foreign companies.^【4】

^{MİLDEN projesi konsept görseli. (}Yüzüncü Yıl Galerisi/EBA⁾

TCG Piri Reis is named after Piri Reis, the 16th-century Ottoman admiral and cartographer. He is renowned for the world map he completed in 1513, which is considered one of the most important documents in the history of cartography.

^{Piri Reis's world map dated 1513. (}AA⁾

Piri Reis’s cartographic activities are studied in academic research as a significant component of Ottoman maritime and cartographic history.^【7】