Azernews.Az

By Burak Doğan and Yasin Yılmaz

Turkiye's largest warship TCG Anadolu was delivered to the Naval Forces Command with a ceremony attended by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Erdogan spoke at the TCG Anadolu Ship Delivery Ceremony and the New MİLGEM Frigates Sheet Cutting Ceremony held at Tuzla Sedef Shipyard. Reminding that the construction of the TCG Anadolu ship was started in April 2016, Erdogan said, “At the end of seven years, we are putting our TCG Anadolu ship into service. We are happy, we are proud. May my Lord perpetuate this pride of ours." he said.

Turkiye becomes leader of the century

Wishing the best to TCG Anadolu, the country's largest military ship, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said, "Of course, this is not enough for us. God willing (InshAllah), now our second stage is to build the entire of the aircraft carrier. We have held talks with many countries, we are doing it, and we will succeed in this. We see this ship as a symbol that will clinch our position as a leader in the Turkic Century and a country that has a voice in the world. Not only that; Today, we are carrying out the sheet metal cutting of our three new MİLGEM stowage class frigates that we will bring to Mavi Vatan[Turkiye’s border seas].”

TCG Anadolu is world's first UCAV

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan thanked everyone who contributed to the construction of TCG Anadolu and will take part in the construction of the frigates, and said, “Our Bayraktar TB3, UCAV, Baykar Bayraktar Kızılelma Unmanned Combat Aircraft and HÜRJET Light Attack Aircraft will be able to land and take off on this ship. In addition, thanks to the tanks and armored amphibious assault vehicles it carries, this ship has the features that will enable us to carry out military and humanitarian operations in every corner of the world when necessary.”

We will build our aircraft ship

“Thanks to TCG Anadolu, we will become a country that pioneers game-changing technologies, systems and solutions that are among the first in the world. The experience we have gained in such projects allows us to bring more advanced technologies, which are more domestic and national, to our country. With the commissioning of our amphibious assault ship, we have taken a big step towards producing our national aircraft carrier. Our shipbuilding industry has built and will build our national aircraft carrier.” President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said.

Turkiye's defense industry budget is $75bn

Noting that they have increased the defense industry budget to $75bn with the projects whose tender process continues, Recep Tayyip Erdogan said, “Of course, the level we have reached is important, but there is still a lot of work we need to do to overcome the implicit-open embargoes against our country. We are increasing our defense industry budget to $75bn. Our target is a fully independent defense industry. Our USVs, which we have developed at the most advanced technological level, have started to be followed with envy in the world, just like our UCAVs.”

It will host TB3, Kızılelma and Hürkuş

TCG Anadolu will be the world's first UCAV ship that UCAVs can take off and land on it. For this purpose, Bayraktar is developing Bayraktar TB3 UCAV with folding wings. Bayraktar KIZILELMA and HÜRJET Light Attack Aircraft will be able to land and take off from the ship. TCG Anadolu; It has the capacity to transfer a force of at least 1 battalion size in the Aegean, Mediterranean and Black Seas to the crisis region with its own logistic support, without requiring home base support. TCG Anadolu has a length of 231 meters and a width of 32 meters. With a maximum full load displacement of 27,436 tons, the ship can operate at a maximum speed of at least 20.5 knots and an economic speed of 16 knots.

It will be opened to visitors in Sirkeci

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that the ship will be opened to the visit of citizens in Sirkeci. “We will tow TCG Anadolu from here to Sirkeci and we will open our TCG Anadolu ship to our people in Sirkeci. We want our people to come and visit our TCG Anadolu ship. Let's not just be proud, let's give our people the opportunity to be proud of TCG Anadolu as a nation," he said.

There will be a revolution in the history of combat

BAYKAR Chairman of the Board of Directors Selçuk Bayraktar made statements on the ship, which also included TB3 and Kızıl Elma. Bayraktar said, “I am very proud of my country. The TB3 will begin operating on board in 2024. Kizilelma’s test flights continue. I hope it will start working on the ship in 2025. We witnessed a historical moment. We have witnessed that the future of Mavi Vatan is under greater security. If these aircraft start to serve together with our TCG Anadolu Ship one day, they will revolutionize the history of world warfare.”

Floating army

TCG Anadolu is 231 meters long and 32 meters wide. It can carry 1,223 personnel, 41 UCAVs and helicopters, and 94 armored vehicles. A total of 4 landing craft enter the pool inside.