Türkiye-donated missile boat arrives in Maldives

The missile boat donated by Türkiye a part of a defense cooperation agreement between Male’ and Ankara has arrived in the Maldives.

Sun has been informed that TCG Volkan (P-343), a Dogan-class fast attack craft, was brought to Maldives on a break bulk carrier on Thursday. It is currently anchored off the coast of K. Dhoonidhoo.

News of the donation of the missile boat broke on Turkish press in April.

The Maldivian Defense Ministry confirmed the reports in a statement on April 12, describing donation of TCG Volkan as part of a Memorandum of Understanding between Male’ and Ankara to enhance Maldives’ defense capabilities through material support and training.

The ministry described the new addition to the Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF) fleet as an important step for boosting Maldives’ naval capabilities in order to fulfil its role in maintaining peace and security of the Indian Ocean.

Maldivian soldiers were trained in Türkiye to operate the boat.

TCG Volkan was commissioned into the Turkish Navy in May 1981, and reclassified in 2024 as a test and training vessel. The Dogan-class vessels designed by German shipbuilder Lürssen Werft were the first that came equipped with Harpoon anti-ship missiles.

The boat underwent maintenance and repairs at the Istanbul Naval Shipyard Command as part of transfer preparations.