Turkey Unveils Its 1st Amphibious Assault Vessel And Plans To Develop Drone Capabilities

President Erdogan stated at the launch ceremony of the TCG Anadolu, Turkey’s first amphibious assault ship, on Monday that this vessel will assist Turkey in maintaining its regional leadership.

It is 232m long and 32m wide and can carry up to 1,400 troops and support units for military and humanitarian operations.

It was modelled on the Spanish light aircraft carrier Juan Carlos I. Still, Ankara had to make specific changes after the US dropped them from the F-35 programme in 2019 due to their acquisition of Russian defence systems.

As a result, it will now be outfitted with helicopters, Turkish defence contractor Baykar’s Bayraktar TB3 and Kzlelma unmanned aerial combat vehicles, and Turkish Aerospace Industries’ Hurjet light attack aircraft. (TAI).

After these modifications are completed, it will be the first amphibious assault ship with a fleet primarily formed of armed drones. The country’s coastline borders Syria and Iraq, both of which are at war, as well as the Mediterranean and Black Seas.

As a result, Turkey is home to NATO’s second-most formidable military force. Furthermore, they have been serving as a mediator in the Ukraine war between Kyiv and Moscow and coordinating with the UN to secure safe grain shipment from Ukrainian ports across the Black Sea.

Reference: The Print, Reuters