Turkish Baykar Defence Company’s CEO, Haluk Bayraktar, released an image of Turkey’s future landing helicopter dock TCG Anadolu’s with TB-3 Bayraktar unmanned combat aerial vehicles during an online event on May 7.
He said that the image shows the taking off and landing concept of TB-3 Bayraktar from TCG Anadolu. He also stressed that they have still been working on the drone that will weigh around 1200 kilograms.
In March, Ismail Demir, the Turkish government’s president of defence industries, said companies have been working on the Baykar-made Bayraktar TB3 derived from the combat-proven TB2 to turn Anadolu into a drone carrier.
After Demir’s statement, the launching system for the drones was a matter of curiosity. It’s evident on the image that a launching system will be located on Anadolu to provide enough initial speed to the drones for a successful take-off.
TCG Anadolu is expected to enter service for the Turkish Navy in 2022.
TCG Anadolu:
TCG Anadolu (L-400) is an amphibious assault ship (LHD) of the Turkish Navy that can be configured as a light aircraft carrier. The vessel is intended to meet the various needs and requirements of the Turkish Armed Forces, such as sustaining long-endurance, long-distance military combat, or humanitarian relief operations while acting as a command centre and flagship for the Turkish Navy.
The Sedef–Navantia consortium won the tender for the LPD/LHD project of the Turkish Navy, and Anadolu will use the same design as that of the Spanish ship Juan Carlos I. The vessel will feature a Turkish combat management system, namely the GENESIS-ADVENT, which will be integrated by Aselsan and Havelsan. Aircraft landing is assisted in all weather conditions by Leonardo SPN-720 Precision Approach Radar.
The LHD will be capable of operating up to 12 helicopters or 12 F-35Bs operated by NATO allies in a “light aircraft carrier” configuration. The dimensions of the final design are 231 meters (757 ft 10 in) in length, a 32-meter (105 ft 0 in) beam, a 6.8-meter (22 ft 4 in) draft, and 58 meters (190 ft 3 in) in height.[23] Its displacement will be 24,660 tons (in “light aircraft carrier” mission configuration) or 27,079 tons (in “LHD” mission configuration).
Its maximum speed will be 21.5 knots (in “light aircraft carrier” configuration) or 29 knots (in “LHD” configuration), while its maximum range will be 9,000 nautical miles (17,000 km) at economical speed. It will have a 5,440 m2 flight deck and a 990 m2 aviation hangar which can accommodate either 12 medium-sized helicopters or 8 CH-47F Chinook heavy-lift helicopters.
Check out Naval Library App to find out the specifications of the TCG Anadolu.
