Naval Aviation that stands out as a vital element and a force multiplier for the Turkish Naval Forces. On 22 April 2021, with the special permission given by the Ministry of National Defense (MoND), we visited Topel Naval Air Main Base Command at Kartepe, Kocaeli for you to get firsthand information on the expectations and goals of the Naval Aviation for the past, present and future, as well as to get information on on-going activities and projects and to view on-site activities. Witihin the scope of our visit, in order to make a note in history, we talked to Rear Admiral Alper YENİEL, who has been acting as the Naval Air Commander since August 2018.

Defence Turkey: The Naval Air Command contributes greatly to the Turkish Naval Forces (TNF) through the modern fixed and rotary wing modern naval aircraft and Unmanned Air Vehicles equipped with state-of-the-art sensors, command control and weapon systems in its inventory along with the aerial reconnaissance and surveillance, Anti-Surface Unit Warfare (ASUW) and Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) capabilities that are required in the tasks and operations conducted in Turkey and abroad. Could you briefly talk about Naval Air Command’s development in Turkey? Which stages has the Turkish Naval Aviation which celebrates its 107th anniversary this year been through to date? In which tasks has it gained its experiences and which air platforms it has used so far?