The Turkish Navy commissioned the Anadolu amphibious assault ship, which became the world’s first carrier of UCAVs.

This was reported by the Turkish news agency Anadolu.

The ceremony was attended by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Minister of National Defense Hulusi Akar and other officials.

The Turkish leader noted that TCG Anadolu is the first military vessel in the world designed to deploy combat UAVs. He noted that the level of domestic technology in the design of the vessel reaches 70 percent.

The implementation of the Anadolu LHD project began on April 30, 2016. The ship was launched in May 2019, and trials of the flagship of the Turkish fleet continued from June 2022.

Anadolu LHD

The Anadolu amphibious assault ship is designed to conduct long-range naval battles, humanitarian assistance operations, and serve as a command center. The new ship should become the flagship of the Turkish fleet.

The ship is 232 meters long, 32 meters wide, and has a draft of 6.9 meters. It is capable of reaching a speed of 39 km/h and has a range of 17,000 km. The vessel accommodates 1,200 crew members.

The ship’s sensors and reconnaissance systems include the SMART-S Mk.2 S-band 3D-radar, SPN-720 Precision Approach Radar, GENESIS-ADVENT combat management system, and the anti-torpedo protection system.

The ship is armed with one RAM SAM, two Phalanx CIWS 20mm anti-aircraft guns, and five Aselsan STOP RCWS 25mm artillery systems.

The Anadolu LHD can accommodate up to 10 helicopters/11 UAVs on deck and up to 19 helicopters/30 UAVs in a hangar. The ship can also be the carrier of 12 F-35B fighters.

In addition to the aircraft component, the ship can be used to transport ground equipment. The Anadolu has a light cargo garage for 27 Amphibious Assault Vehicles (AAVs) or 29 main battle tanks.

The ship’s internal dock houses up to four Landing Craft Mechanized (LCM) or two Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCAC), which can directly deliver combat vehicles to land.