Turkish Navy receives its largest warship TCG Anadolu

Middle East, News April 12, 2023 , by IRIA No Comments

The Turkish Navy launched its largest vessel yet. The vessel was handed over to the navy in a ceremony in Istanbul on April 10, 2023. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Defence Minister Hulusi Akar, and top military leadership joined the ceremony.

The amphibious assault ship has been named TCG Anadolu. The ship was built by the Istanbul-based shipyard, Sedef Shipbuilding. It will act as Turkey’s first landing platform dock. The ship would be able to support the landing of heavy helicopters, drones, and light attack aircraft.

Speaking at the delivery ceremony in Istanbul, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said TCG Anadolu is the world’s first warship in its field where UAVs can land and take off.

During the testing phase, several drones and light attack aircraft carried out take-off and landing from the vessel. Turkish UCAVs Bayraktar TB3 and Kizilelma drones, and light attack aircraft Hurjet, can land on and take off from the ship, Erdogan said in his speech.

Erdogan also highlighted that Turkey plans to use the ship to carry out humanitarian aid operations throughout the world. He said that the ship “has the capabilities to conduct military operations in every corner of the world, we will be able to transfer to crisis areas with this ship quickly.”

*^{Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and officials aboard the country’s newly commissioned amphibious assault ship TCG Anadolu. (Image Credit: Twitter/@RTErdogan)}*

Officially started to be built in 2016, the 32 meters in wide and 58 meters high vessel can displace around 27,436 tons when fully loaded. The ship is 231 meters in length The ship can carry a battalion-sized unit of 1,200 personnel, eight utility helicopters, and three drones. It also can transport 150 vehicles, including battle tanks.

The ship’s weapon, combat management, electronic warfare, infrared search and track, electro-optical search, laser warning, torpedo defense systems, and radars were indigenously developed in Turkey. Apart from Turkey’s Sedef Shipyard, more than 131 subcontractors were involved in the building process.

Initially, Turkey started the Multi-Purpose Amphibious Assault Ship Project in 2013. The project aimed at developing multipurpose platforms to expand Turkey’s aerial and naval supremacy. The project was originally intended to accommodate its future F-35 jets on a naval platform; however, the U.S. removed Turkey from the multinational Joint Strike Fighter program after Ankara acquired Russian-made S-400 air defense systems.

Turkey has since switched its primary aerial asset on the TCG Anadolu from the F-35 to the Kizilelma drones. The vessel cost Ankara more than $1 billion, although officials have declined to reveal the exact price. Turkey will be the third operator of this ship type, after Spain and Australia.