Key Points and Summary – Turkey has commissioned the TCG Anadolu, the world’s first dedicated drone carrier and the largest warship in its navy.
-Based on Spain’s Juan Carlos I amphibious assault ship, the Anadolu features a distinctive ski-jump ramp for short take-offs.
The 354th Fighter Wing conducts a 75-fighter jet formation at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, Aug. 12, 2022, in honor of the U.S. Air Force’s 75th Anniversary. This capabilities demonstration included F-35A Lightning II, F-16 Fighting Falcon and F-22 Raptor aircraft from across Pacific Air Forces. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Gary Hilton)
-After being removed from the F-35 program, Turkey innovatively pivoted the ship’s mission to focus on unmanned aviation.
-The carrier is designed to operate an air wing of 30 to 50 combat drones, including the Bayraktar TB-3 and the jet-powered Kızılelma, heralding a new era in naval warfare that blends amphibious capabilities with drone technology.
TCG Anadolu Turkish Drone Carrier Profile
It would be one of the biggest and most egregious understatements of the 21st century to say that drones, also known as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) or unmanned aerial systems (UASs), have become a significant factor in modern warfare.
Some pundits have even gone so far as to argue that drones have rendered manned combat aircraft completely obsolete (or at least obsolescent), but that’s a debate for another time and place.
Therefore, it was only a matter of time before drone carriers began to take their place in naval arsenals alongside aircraft carriers for manned aircraft.
Leading the way in the drone carrier game is Türkiye, as embodied by the drone-carrying amphibious assault ship Anadolu.
TCG Anadolu Initial History and Concept
Anadolu (Pennant No. L400) is named after the West Asian peninsula of Anadolu—known in English as Anatolia (derived from the Greek word Anatolḗ, meaning “the East”)—which comprises the majority of Turkish territory. (The European segment of Türkiye is called Thrace, which is where two-thirds of the capital city of Istanbul is located, thus enabling Turkey to claim official status as a European nation and qualify for NATO membership).
Built by Sedef Shipyard (headquartered in the Tuzla district of Istanbul, not to be confused with the city of Tuzla in Bosnia and Herzegovina), she was ordered on June 1, 2015, laid down on February 7, 2018, launched on April 30, 2019, and commissioned on April 10, 2023.
Anadolu is based on Spain’s Juan Carlos I multi-purpose aircraft carrier and landing helicopter dock (LHD).
As noted by Kyle Mizokami in an April 2023 article for Popular Mechanics, Anadolu is “the first of its kind to regularly operate fixed-wing drones with combat roles” and the Turkish Naval Forces’ (Türk Deniz Kuvvetleri, AKA Türk Donanması) “largest ship ever.”
Anadolu Technical Specifications and Vital Stats
-Displacement: 24,660 tons
-Hull Length: 232 m (761 ft 2 in)
-Beam Width: 32 m (105 ft 0 in)
-Propulsion: 5 × 8,000 kW (11,000 hp) Navantia Man Diesel Generators; 2 × 11 MW (15,000 hp) Siemens SiPOD; 2 × 1,500 kW (2,000 hp) bow thrusters
-Max Speed: 21 knots (39 km/h; 24 mph)
-Range: 9,000 nautical miles (17,000 km; 10,000 mi)
-Crew Complement: 1223 (371 officers and enlisted seamen in the ship’s company, 50 naval aviation personnel, 50 hospital personnel, 550-700 amphibious marines, others)
-Aircraft Carrying Capacity: 30 to 50 TB-2 or more advanced TB-3 Bayraktar drones, as well as the turbofan-powered Kızılelma (Red Apple) PT-4 uncrewed aerial combat vehicles (UCAVs)
-Armament: 1 × RIM-116 RAM (Rolling Airframe Missile); 2 × Phalanx CIWS (close-in weapon system); 5 × 25 mm Aselsan STOP RCWS (remote controlled weapon station); 4 × 12.7 mm (.50 caliber) Aselsan STAMP RCWS
The Way Forward for Anadolu Drone Aircraft Carrier
As noted by Interesting Engineering (IE), “The TCG Anadolu boasts a sleek profile characteristic of amphibious assault ships, complete with a flight deck that spans nearly the entire length of the vessel. What sets it apart is the ski-jump ramp adorning its front, a feature absent in the U.S. Navy’s America-class amphibious assault ships. This ski-jump ramp facilitates short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL), enabling a more versatile range of aircraft operations.”
U.S. Marines with Bravo Company, 2d Assault Amphibious Battalion, 2d Marine Division approach the USS Wasp (LHD 1) in assault amphibious vehicles off of Onslow Beach during a three-day ship-to-shore exercise on Camp Lejeune, N.C., June 27, 2020. During the exercise, the Marines conducted amphibious maneuvers and dynamic ship-to-shore operations with the USS Wasp (LHD 1). (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Jacqueline Parsons)
The IE article concludes: “With full-scale implementation of the TCG Anadolu’s carrier capabilities slated for 2025, the Turkish Navy is poised to lead a new era in naval aviation. This forward-thinking vessel, with its emphasis on drone technology, is set to reshape the way nations approach maritime defense strategies. As the world watches, Turkey’s TCG Anadolu stands as a testament to the nation’s commitment to innovation and its growing prominence in the realm of naval aviation.”
In 2019, media reports suggested that the Turkish Navy was planning a sister ship to the Anadolu, the TCG Trakya.
However, that project has apparently been placed on the back burner for the sake of the construction of the indigenously-designed MUGEM-class aircraft carrier, which commenced on January 2, 2025, at the Istanbul Naval Shipyard (İstanbul Donanma Tersanesi, AKA Pendik Naval Shipyard)…thus going to show that drone carriers haven’t rendered traditional “flattops” extinct just yet. (NOTE: MUGEM stands for Milli Uçak Gemisi, i.e., “National Aircraft Carrier”)
According to the World Directory of Modern Military Warships (WDMMW), the Turkish Navy currently has a total of 90 hulls in its active fleet inventory, ranking it 10th out of 40 national naval powers tracked by the site.
About the Author: Christian D. Orr, Defense Expert
Christian D. Orr is a Senior Defense Editor. He is a former Air Force Security Forces officer, Federal law enforcement officer, and private military contractor (with assignments worked in Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, Kosovo, Japan, Germany, and the Pentagon). Chris holds a B.A. in International Relations from the University of Southern California (USC) and an M.A. in Intelligence Studies (concentration in Terrorism Studies) from American Military University (AMU). He is also the author of the newly published book “Five Decades of a Fabulous Firearm: Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the Beretta 92 Pistol Series.”
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