Türkiye is set to donate the TCG Volkan (P-343), a Dogan-class fast attack craft, to the Maldives.

The TCG Volkan, originally commissioned into the Turkish Navy in May 1981, was reclassified in 2024 as a test and training vessel. Designed by German shipbuilder Lürssen Werft, the Dogan-class marked a pivotal upgrade in Türkiye’s naval arsenal, being the first class of Turkish vessels to be equipped with Harpoon anti-ship missiles.

The donation forms part of a wider bilateral Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) designed to enhance the Maldives’ naval infrastructure through both material aid and structured training initiatives.

The Dogan-class comprises four ships: P-340 TCG Dogan, P-341 TCG Marti (decommissioned in 2022), P-342 TCG Tayfun (currently serving as a test and training ship and also expected to be transferred to the Maldives), and P-343 TCG Volkan. Measuring 58.1 metres in length, with a beam of 7.62 metres and a draft of 2.74 metres, the TCG Volkan displaces 436 tonnes at full load. The vessel is powered by four MTU diesel engines generating a total of 12,000 horsepower, enabling a maximum speed of 38 knots (approximately 70 km/h) and a range of 1,050 nautical miles (1,940 km). It accommodates a crew of 45.

The TCG Volkan is outfitted with a robust weapons suite, including two Harpoon anti-ship missiles (expandable to four), a 76mm Oto Melara naval gun, a 35mm twin-barrel air defence gun, and two 7.62mm machine guns. Its advanced sensor and control systems include the VM-28/41 radar, a LIOD Mk-2 fire control radar, and decoy launchers, rendering the vessel highly effective for coastal defence and patrol operations.

According to sources within the Turkish Ministry of Defence, as reported by Anadolu Agency, the transfer of the TCG Volkan represents a key pillar of the strategic partnership between Türkiye and the Maldives.

The vessel has recently undergone comprehensive maintenance and repair work at the Istanbul Naval Shipyard Command to ensure its full operational readiness. It is scheduled to be transported to the Maldives via dock landing ship between April and June 2025, with the final transfer to be completed by July. Upon arrival, the vessel will be formally commissioned into Maldivian service by a Turkish Navy delegation.

Training of Maldivian naval personnel began in Türkiye on April 7 and is set to conclude on May 9. This will be followed by an intensive two-week advanced operational training programme to be conducted onboard the vessel in Maldivian waters by a specialised Turkish naval team, aimed at ensuring full operational proficiency.