The missile-capable military vessel that the Turkish government decided to gift to the Maldives has arrived in the country.

According to available information, the TCG Volkan (P-343) vessel is currently in the Malé area. A formal ceremony to hand over the vessel is scheduled for next next week.

In a statement released on April 13 this year, the Maldives Ministry of Defense said that Turkey is gifting a Doğan-class vessel to the Maldives as free aid.

The statement said that President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu's highest priority policy is to protect and safeguard the independence, sovereignty, and autonomy of the Maldives. To implement this policy, the government is working towards that goal by strengthening relations with friendly countries.

A website publishing information about Turkish military vessels stated that the vessel gifted by Turkey to the Maldives as free aid is a decision made by the Turkish Ministry of Defense as an important step in strengthening defense ties between the Maldives and Turkey.

It is a Doğan-class Fast Attack Craft, the TCG Volkan (P-343).

According to the newspaper, arrangements were made to bring the vessel to the Maldives last April. The journey to bring the vessel to the Maldives began last July.

The Turkish naval newspaper also states that a team from the Turkish Navy is scheduled to activate the vessel's systems and provide a two-week training program for Maldivian soldiers.

The newspaper further states that this gift is a vessel arranged to strengthen defense ties between Turkey and the Maldives, and that TCG Volkan (P-343) is a Doğan-class Fast Attack Craft designed by German shipbuilder Lürssen Werft and officially handed over to the Turkish Navy on May 12, 1981.

The newspaper further mentions that as one of the first vessels in Turkey to use Harpoon anti-ship missiles, the vessel significantly increased naval military capabilities in its early years.

Additionally, although reclassified as a test and training vessel in 2024, the newspaper states that Volkan remains a robust platform for maritime operations.

When "One" contacted MNDF for more information on this matter, they said that additional information related to this would be shared with the media at some point tomorrow.

After President Muizzu took office, his first trip was to Turkey. During that trip, many military consultations were held, and the Maldives has also purchased Turkish military drones which are now being used.