Türkiye will donate the TCG Volkan (P-343), a Dogan-class fast attack craft, to the Maldives as part of a bilateral agreement aimed at strengthening the island nation’s maritime defense infrastructure, the Ministry of Defence said Saturday.
The Ministry in a statement hailed the donation as part of the positive outcome of dialogue with friendly nations to achieve President Dr Mohamed Muizzu;s vision to double the surveillance and response capacity of the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF).
A special team of MNDF personnel is currently undergoing training in Türkiye in preparation for the operation of the vessel, the Ministry said, adding that the newly acquired vessel will be a major boost to its capability to maintain safety and security of the country’s territory and special economic zone.
TCG Volkan (P-343) was commissioned into the Turkish Navy in May 1981 and reclassified in 2024 as a test and training vessel.
The Dogan-class, designed by German shipbuilder Lürssen Werft, marked a significant leap in Türkiye’s naval capabilities in the late 20th century, especially as the first class equipped with Harpoon anti-ship missiles.
President Dr Muizzu has attached highest priority to ensuring the protection of sovereignty and independence of the country since taking office in November 2023.
Under his vision, Maldives in March last year, launched its inaugural Air Corps of the MNDF and introduced the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Army (UCAV) service.
To support the MNDF Air Corps service, Turkish-made Bayrakta model Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicles (UCAVs) have been acquired.