President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said Saturday that Turkey is one of only 10 countries capable of developing and launching its own warships, adding that Ankara aims to rank among the world’s top 10 defense and aerospace exporters by 2028 with $11 billion in sales.
Speaking at a ceremony attended by a Pakistani delegation and Turkish defense industry officials, Erdoğan said Istanbul was marking an important day for the country’s naval sector with the commissioning, flag‑raising and first‑steel‑cutting events for several naval platforms.
He thanked Turkish naval personnel serving in the “Blue Homeland” maritime zone and paid tribute to fallen service members, saying the country’s shipbuilding sector had reached a point of national pride.
Erdoğan also highlighted progress on the 2018 agreement to build four MİLGEM‑class warships for Pakistan.
Turkey delivered the first vessel, PNS Babur, in May 2024 and handed over the second, PNS Khyber, on Saturday after completing trials.
The third and fourth ships are under construction at Karachi Shipyard and are scheduled for delivery in late 2026 and early 2027.
He said the long‑standing partnership between Turkey and Pakistan, rooted in shared history, would continue to strengthen.