A Major Milestone in Türkiye’s Historic Naval Export Achievement
Türkiye’s leading naval engineering company STM has reached a new milestone in its historic export project for the Portuguese Navy. The steel cutting ceremony for the Auxiliary Oiler Replenisher and Logistics Ship was held on 14 November 2025 in Istanbul, marking the start of the construction phase under STM’s leadership. The project represents Türkiye’s first-ever export of naval to a European Union (EU) and NATO member nation.
STM Savunma Teknolojileri Mühendislik ve Ticaret A.Ş., known for developing modern systems and serving as a trusted partner to global navies, has reached another major milestone in its historic export project. STM, which outperformed some of the world’s leading naval shipbuilders in the Portuguese Navy’s tender for Logistics Support Ships, had signed the contract for the Auxiliary Oiler Replenisher and Logistics Ship Project on 17 December 2024 in Lisbon, marking a major milestone in bilateral defence cooperation.
On 14 November 2025, the steel cutting ceremony marking the start of construction for the logistics support ships was held at ADA Shipyard in Istanbul. The event was attended by Prof. Dr. Haluk Görgün, Secretary of Defence Industries of Türkiye(SSB); SSB Vice President and STM Chairman of the Board İhsan Kaya; Özgür Güleryüz, General Manager of STM; and Rear Admiral Marques da Costa, Director of Ships for the Portuguese Navy, accompanied by a high-level Portuguese delegation and STM representatives. During the ceremony, the steel of the ship that will bear the name of Portugal’s national poet, Luís de Camões, was cut.
Görgün: A Concrete Reflection of Confidence in Turkish Engineering
Speaking at the ceremony, Prof. Dr. Haluk Görgün, President of the Secretariat of Defence Industries (SSB), delivered the following key messages:
“With this steel-cutting ceremony, we are launching the construction of a naval platform that will serve humanity in times of peace and provide deterrence in times of crisis. This project is a concrete reflection of the confidence placed in Turkish engineering by a European Union and NATO member country, and it represents a new threshold in Europe’s military shipbuilding industry. Portugal’s decision reflects not only confidence in STM but also trust in the entire Turkish defence industry. We take great pride in the fact that Portugal — a nation with a rich maritime heritage and a powerful navy equipped with modern warships, submarines, and unmanned surface vessels — has chosen Türkiye as its partner.”
Strengthening Global Partnerships in Naval Engineering
Speaking at the ceremony, STM General Manager Özgür Güleryüz emphasized STM’s growing role as a trusted international partner for global navies:
From Türkiye to Portugal, from Ukraine to Pakistan and Malaysia, STM is proud to serve as a reliable engineering partner for the world’s leading navies. Today, we are honored to begin the construction of the logistics support ships designed in Türkiye and tailored to the operational requirements of the Portuguese Navy. Luís de Camões, the national poet of Portugal, symbolizes the deep maritime spirit of your nation. We are honored to build a ship that carries his name and legacy.
This ceremony is not only the start of a new project, but also a symbol of friendship, cooperation, and shared engineering vision between our two nations. Following today’s milestone, we will proceed with the keel laying of the first ship in January 2026, and plan to deliver both vessels to the Portuguese Navy in 2028. We believe these ships will significantly enhance the Portuguese Navy’s operational capabilities and contribute to NATO’s maritime strength.”
Multi-Role Capability
The construction of the Auxiliary Oiler Replenisher and Logistics Ships, a project considered a significant milestone in showcasing Türkiye’s advancements in naval engineering, will feature a modular design. In addition to providing logistical support, transferring fuel and cargo at sea, the ships will have the capacity to transport armored vehicles, enabling them to support joint and amphibious operations. With an stern ro-ro ramp, each vessel will be capable of carrying up to 20 light tactical armored vehicles. Thanks to their modular, original, and versatile design, the vessels will also be equipped to undertake humanitarian aid, search and rescue, and medical missions during crises. Fitted with an Integrated Communication System, the ships will have command and control capabilities that will enable efficient fleet coordination.
Sustained Operations and Versatile Capabilities
The vessels, measuring 137 meters in length with a displacement over 11,000 tones and a maximum speed of over 18 knots, will be capable of operating continuously at sea for up to 30 days. Each ship will accommodate 100 personnel and transport up to 20 light tactical armored vehicles. Equipped with advanced sensors and weapon systems, the ships will primarily support air defence operations while being capable of engaging in all principal warfare functions. The vessels will feature close-in weapon systems, 12.7 mm remote-controlled weapon systems and chaff/decoy systems, alongside a range of advanced sensors. For helicopter operations, the ships will include a landing platform for helicopters and UAVs, as well as a UAV hangar.
Technical Specifications
The Multi-Purpose Auxiliary Oiler Replenishment (AOR+) vessels are versatile, joint logistics support ship designed to provide both solid and liquid cargo support to surface platforms during peace and war times.
Capabilities
- Replenishment At-Sea
- Command and Control
- Logistics Support
- Medical Support
- Amphibious Operations
- Humanitarian Assistance
- Regional Power Projection
- Search and Rescue
Main Dimensions
- Length Overall (LOA) : 137.00 m
- Length Waterline (LWL) : 128.76 m
- Breadth (B): 19.10 m
- Design Draught (TDESIGN): 6.70 m
- Displacement (Δ): 11000 tons
General Particulars
- Max. Speed with Diesel Propulsion : 18+ knots
- Max. Speed with Electric Propulsion : 6+ knots
- Cruising Speed : 14 knots
- Range : 14000+ nm at 14 knots speed
- Endurance : 90 days
- Crew : 50 Personnel + Accommodation for 50 additional personnel + Temporary accommodation for 100 pax
Cargo Capacities
- F-76: 4000 m3
- F-44: 350 m3
- Fresh Water: 650 m3
- General Cargo: 700 m3
- Containers: 6 x 20 ft containers
- Ammunition
About STM
STM has been serving the Turkish defence sector for the last 34 years in such areas as engineering, technology development and consultancy services, operating in fields that are critical for Türkiye and its allies. It applies its advanced capabilities and technologies to a broad range of strategic fields, ranging from naval platforms to tactical mini UAV systems, from command and control systems to cybersecurity, and from big data analytics to artificial intelligence applications.
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