Considered the “flagship” of Turkey , TCG Anadolu is a symbol representing the “era of Turkey”, the Daily Sabah newspaper quoted Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as saying at the handover ceremony in Istanbul. .

TCG Anadolu has a length of 231m, a width of 32m, displacement of 27,436 tons. The ship can reach a maximum speed of 21 knots (approximately 39km) per hour, a range of 9,000 nautical miles (about 17,000km) and can operate at sea for 50 days. According to the published report, the localization rate in the fabrication process of TCG Anadolu reaches 70%.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan attends the handover ceremony of TCG Anadolu in Istanbul on April 10. Photo: Defense Turkey

Originally, the TCG Anadolu was intended to operate as an amphibious assault ship with a fleet of helicopters and short takeoff, vertical landing fighters, such as the multirole fighter variant. Lockheed Martin’s stealthy F-35B.

However, after the US banned the sale of F-35s to Turkey in retaliation for the country’s purchase of the Russian S-400 missile defense system in 2019, Ankara was forced to reconsider its plans. developed and made additional modifications to turn the TCG Anadolu into an aircraft carrier for helicopters and UAVs , as well as unmanned combat aircraft (UCAV).

Famous for its Bayraktar TB2 product that is “storming” in the global market, this time, Ankara decided to equip TCG Anadolu with a new UAV called Bayraktar TB3 – a version of Bayraktar TB2 capable of running on the road. short tape.

Both types of UAVs are manufactured by the Baykar Corporation of Türkiye. Compared to existing UAVs, the Bayraktar TB3 has superior long-range control capabilities, allowing it to conduct reconnaissance, surveillance, intelligence gathering, and attack overseas targets. The Bayraktar TB3 is scheduled to go on display and make its first public appearance at Türkiye’s Teknofest Aerospace and Technology Festival opening later this month.

One of Baykar’s other landmark platforms is the UCAV called Kızılelma which is also fitted to the TCG Anadolu. The Kızılelma has a jet engine, with characteristics similar to that of a fifth-generation fighter, and is capable of carrying out aerial engagements. According to the manufacturer, Kızılelma is built on a self-propelled maneuvering platform in parallel with the existing control system and can carry air-to-air missiles, increasing its advantage in combat.

In addition to UAVs and UCAVs, the TCG Anadolu aircraft carrier is also equipped with T129 Atak (domestic) helicopters, AH-1W Super Cobra attack helicopters and SH-70B multi-purpose helicopters. TCG Anadolu has a “terrible” transport capacity, with 12 manned aircraft and UAVs, 21 helicopters of all kinds, and dozens of tanks, armored vehicles… Operation purposes are very diverse, from tons of tons. amphibious personnel to perform non-military missions such as: humanitarian aid, search and rescue, medical assistance, disaster assistance…

With the official commissioning of the flagship TCG Anadolu, Ankara’s defense capabilities have increased significantly. At the same time, Türkiye’s defense industry has witnessed strong growth in recent years.

The country’s defense exports hit a record of more than $4.4 billion in 2022, compared with nearly $250 million 20 years ago, Turkey seems to have had a successful turnaround strategy, bringing The country has gone from being a major arms importer to becoming a “rising star” among the world’s top defense exporters.