Turkey’s Anadolu Amphibious Assault Ship Sees 1st Helicopter Deployment

Two Turkish Navy helicopters landed on the multipurpose amphibious assault ship Anadolu for the first time, as the flag-ship-to-be prepares to enter the country's inventory next month.

Turkey’s Defense Ministry confirmed on Friday that the two helicopters AH-1W Super Cobra and an SH-70 Seahawk, completed their deployment by landing on the Anadolu. The AH-1W helicopters will gradually be replaced by ATAK-2s produced by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI).

The 231m-long TCG Anadolu is a landing helicopter dock (LHD)-type vessel modeled on Spain's LHD Juan Carlos. It was built at the Sedef Shipyard in Istanbul within the scope of the project initiated for the Naval Forces Command.

Weighing 27.4 tons, the Anadolu can reach maximum speed of 21 knots with a full load.

The warship is also expected to be deployed with unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), a first in its kind.

Also read: Baykar to Test Bayraktar TB3 Sea-Based UAV

FNSS-produced ZAHA marine assault vehicle (MAV) will also be deployed onboard the vessel. The 21-personnel-capacity vehicle was designed to facilitate the rapid movement of naval troops to mission locations and allow marines to reach shorelines in the shortest time possible to tackle enemy threats.

ZAHA is currently in the testing process. It is set to operate like an armored combat vehicle when on land, offering ballistic and mine protection.

The launchpad constructed on the Anadolu's deck allows for vertical landings, such as Lockheed Martin's STOVL (Short Take-Off / Vertical Landing) F-35Bs. After Ankara was removed from the F-35 program, the country was in search of alternatives until the deployment of the UCAVs came to the fore in an unusual practice.

According to the information provided to Turkish media, the water-capable pool inside the ship will allow four LCM (landing craft mechanism) ships, each carrying one tank.

It will be able to carry a total of 94 vehicles, including 13 tanks, 27 armored amphibious assault vehicles, six armored personnel carriers (APCs), 33 miscellaneous-type vehicles and 15 trailers.

A total of 10 helicopters or 50 UCAVs can be deployed on the flight deck, and this number can reach up to 100 depending on the configuration.

The ship will have a carrying capacity of 1,223 personnel. There will be a full-fledged hospital facility and two operating theaters on board.