The Turkish Ministry of Defense issued a denial regarding recent speculation about a potential collaboration with the United States in the construction of military vessels. The ministry acknowledged ongoing bilateral defense cooperation but firmly stated that there are no current plans for joint shipbuilding initiatives. This response comes amidst rumors suggesting that Turkish shipyards might assist in addressing the United States' frigate production crisis.

In the statement provided to the English-language version of "Turkiye" newspaper, the Ministry emphasized that while there are "many collaborative activities" with their NATO ally, the specific area of joint shipbuilding is not one of them. This clarification aims to mitigate any misunderstandings surrounding Turkey's role in U.S. defense manufacturing, especially in light of the challenges the U.S. has faced in navy fleet enhancement.

The U.S. State Department has refrained from commenting on any formal or informal discussions regarding shipbuilding ventures with Turkey. A spokesperson reiterated the importance of Turkey as a valuable NATO ally with a significant and evolving defense industry and confirmed the existence of strong defense trade relations between the two countries. However, there was no acknowledgment of any specifics related to joint shipbuilding projects, leaving the situation somewhat ambiguous moving forward.