As Turkey eyes US naval revival, here is why big warship deals are unlikely
Turkey's shipbuilding industry could help ease pressure on overstretched US naval yards, though political, technological and financial hurdles make support work more likely than building major US warships.
ANKARA — Turkey’s pitch to help rebuild America’s depleted shipbuilding base could open a new chapter in defense ties between Ankara and Washington, but the most realistic areas of cooperation are likely to be support vessels, maintenance and components rather than frigates, submarines and aircraft carriers.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s talks with US President Donald Trump have raised the prospect of Turkish shipyards contributing to Washington’s effort to expand naval production, as American yards struggle with labor shortages, supply chain bottlenecks and persistent delays.
“We specifically discussed the shipbuilding sector, and God willing, we will take rapid steps,” Erdogan said on July 8 during the NATO summit in Ankara. “This could involve frigates, corvettes or submarines. … [Turkey] is fully capable of executing this in its own shipyards,” he added.
In the near term, though, cooperation is more likely to involve ship maintenance, support vessels, components or Turkish investment in US yards rather than the construction of major US warships in Turkey.
