TCG Anadolu Visited by Some 290,000 People During April 17 - May 15

Turkish Naval Forces’ largest warship TCG Anadolu, which anchored in İzmir Alsancak Port on May 3 and opened to the public, left İzmir on May 16th to participate, Sea Wolf 2023 Naval Exercise. But before joining at Sea Wolf 2023, of which first phase will take place during June 1-4 and the second phase will take place during June 6-12 with the participation of 113 surface combatants along with 9 submarines, 35 helicopters, 19 UAVs/UCAVs, and 18.000 personnel including marine infantry and SAT/SAS Teams, TCG Anadolu once again docked at Sarayburnu Port on May 16th and was re-opened to the public on May 17th. TCG Anadolu is expected to remain open to visitors at Sarayburnu Port by the end of May.  

Sarayburnu Port Visit and Press Tour 

Almost a week after the commissioning ceremony held at SEDEF Shipyard in Tuzla, İstanbul with the participation of President Recep Tayyip ERDOĞAN, who announced the vessel would be open to the public soon, on April 16th TCG Anadolu (L-400) Landing Helicopter Dock (LHD) set off from the Tuzla district to Sarayburnu, and entered the Bosphorus. The Bosphorus was closed to sea transport when TCG Anadolu entered. After approximately one hour of passing the Bosphorus, the ship approached Sarayburnu Port. Anchored at the Sarayburnu Port on April 16, 2023 TCG Anadolu (L-400) LHD was open to public from April 17 noon to May 2, 2023.

Before it was opened to the public, a press tour was held at TCG Anadolu on the morning of April 17, by the Ministry of National Defense (MoND) Press and Public Relations Consultancy. Within the scope of the event, which was followed by approximately 50 journalists from the written and visual media including defence magazines, Rear Admiral İsmail GÜLDOĞAN, Chief of Staff of the Fleet Command provided brief information on TCG Anadolu (L-400) LHD.

At his address delivered at the Light Vehicle Deck, Rear Admiral GÜLDOĞAN shared following information on TCG Anadolu Multi-Purpose Amphibious Assault Ship;

The TCG Anadolu Landing Helicopter Dock (LHD) contract was signed on June 1, 2015, between the Defense Industry Agency (SSB) and Sedef Shipbuilding Inc. (SEDEF Shipyard) and became effective on September 18, 2015. Construction of the ship was launched with the Steel Cutting Ceremony held on April 30, 2016, and the keel laying of the first blocks took place on February 5, 2018, in line with the construction schedule. TCG Anadolu was launched on February 1, 2020. Harbour Acceptance Tests (HATs) were launched on July 1, 2020, and the Sea Acceptance Tests (SATs) were launched on June 20, 2022. According to Rear Admiral GÜLDOĞAN, the Provisional Acceptance of the TCG Anadolu took place on December 14, 2022 and its Provisional Delivery to the TNFC took place on February 10, 2023. “As you know, our ship was put into service on April 10, 2023,” Rear Admiral GÜLDOĞAN said.

Rear Admiral GÜLDOĞAN disclosed that TCG Anadolu (L-400) LHD has 11 decks and the Command & Control Area, which located inside the island section consists of the Bridge, Combat Information Center (CIC), Flight Control Center and two separated Command & Control Centers to be utilized by the Headquarters of Amphibious Mission Command & Turkish Naval Task Force Command. The 202m long Flight Deck with 6 landing spots (total width of the flight deck is 27.5m, and the width of the runway is 17m, including the 12-degree upward-curved ramp [ski-jump] at the bow of the ship) is located below the Command & Control Area. He pointed out that there are two aircraft elevators at the front (17m x 11.2m) and aft (13.3m x 13.6m) section of the Flight Deck. A total of 6 Medium Lift Helicopters/Utility Helicopters or 4 Heavy Lift Helicopters can perform simultaneous landing and takeoff at the Flight Deck. The fixed and rotary wing aircraft and the UAVs/UCAVs can be transported from the Aircraft Hangar, just below the Flight Deck, to the Flight Deck via these two aircraft elevators located at the front and aft of the Flight Deck. Following the removal of Turkiye from the F-35 Lighting II Program in 2019, the option of converting TCG Anadolu into a Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle (UCAV) Carrier was put on the table in 2020, and it was decided to deploy the Baykar Defence product BAYRAKTAR TB-3 UCAVs on the ship, which will be modified for the use of unmanned aerial vehicles. The first take-off by BAYRAKTAR TB-3 will take place in early 2024. BAYRAKTAR KIZILELMA and TUSAŞ ANKA-III UCAVS are also expected to be deployed onboard the TCG Anadolu LHD in coming years. TCG Anadolu is able to carry up to 41 UCAVs or 29 helicopters (11 UCAVs or 10 helicopters in the 5.440 square metre Flight Deck and 30 UCAVs or 19 helicopters in Aircraft Hangar) together with 1,223 military personnel. 

The Light Vehicle Deck is located in the front section of the Aircraft Hangar. The Medical Site/Hospital of the ship is located below the Light Vehicle Deck. TCG Anadolu has a Hospital with 32 beds, including two operating rooms, x-ray devices, dental treatment units, intensive care and isolation rooms (in case of any infections). With this capability TCG Anadolu will be able to serve as a Hospital Ship in Humanitarian Aid Operations when necessary. The Heavy Vehicle Deck is located below the Medical Site/Hospital. 

The TCG Anadolu, which is able to transform the regional force projection (transfer) capability of the Turkish Naval Forces Command into a medium-scale global force projection capability, has an endurance of at least 50 days without replenishment at sea and 90 days (with up to 1.200 personnel) without home base support. She will be able to carry a battalion-size amphibious task force (Amphibious Marine Battalion with at least 700 soldiers) with its equipment along with a total of 94 vehicles. At its Light Vehicle Deck and Heavy Vehicle Deck, TCG Anadolu can carry 13 Main Battle Tanks (MBTs), 27 ZAHAs (Armored Amphibious Assault Vehicles), 6 Armored Personnel Carriers (APCs), 33 Various Vehicles, and 15 Trailers. The floodable well-deck, which can host four LCM-1Es or two Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCACs) with a single tank carrying capacity, is located at the aft section of the Heavy Vehicle Deck. Unlike the other three sister ships, the well-deck of the TCG Anadolu does not feature a central steel fender as it prevents the docking of LCACs. There is no water on the well-deck during the cruise, the deck is flooded (up to 2.8m depth) before the landing operation via engines after opening the stern door, the deck can also be flooded while the ship is moving. After the mission, the water is discharged again by the pumps/motors and the well-deck becomes dry again.

Unlike other sister ships with an Electrical Drive/Propulsion System in CODAG configuration (two MAN 16V32/40 Diesel Engines and one LM2500 Gas Turbine), TCG Anadolu is equipped with a CODAD type Electric Drive/Propulsion System (five MAN 16V32/40 Diesel Generator Sets each with around 8.000kW capacity). The Electric Drive/Propulsion System of the vessel with 40,000kW power generation capacity incorporates two Siemens product eSiPOD propellers, each with an 11MW capacity and 360-degree rotation capability, and two bow thrusters, each with a 1,500kW capacity.

The TCG Anadolu LHD is a single-hull steel ship, based on a Navantia Shipyard design platform with combat systems integrated by Aselsan-Havelsan Partnership. The vessel has a length of 230.8m with a empty displacement of 22.250 tons and full displacement of 27,500 tons. The TCG Anadolu has a maximum waterline length of 207.2m, a beam of 32m, a maximum speed of 20.5 knots (full load displacement), an economical speed of 16 knots and a maximum range of 9,000nm (16.700km) at economical speed. TCG Anadolu has a total height of 58m, fully-loaded draft (the distance from the bottom of the keel to the waterline) of 7.20m, the draft of the ship reaches 10.20m when the well-deck is flooded, and the flight deck a total height of 20m from the waterline. TCG Anadolu has a total height of 58m from waterline to the top of TACAN antenna. Rear Admiral GÜLDOĞAN disclosed that TCG Anadolu’s Main Missions are; Amphibious Operations, Power Projection, Air Operations and Humanitarian Aid Operations and she is able to sail from Turkiye to Japan without having any replenishment at sea during the cruise.  

Great Public Interest to TCG Anadolu

As it is pointed out above TCG Anadolu LHD was open to the public daily from April 17 to April 23 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Visitors who want to see Turkey's largest military ship, TCG Anadolu, formed meters of queue at Sarayburnu Port. Huge interest to TCG Anadolu was also seen from the air.

On April 23, 2023 TCG Anadolu departed Sarayburnu Port and sailed past the Dolmabahçe Palace, she rendered a 21-gun salute in honor of President Recep Tayyip ERDOĞAN while sailing through the İstanbul Strait on its way to the Black Sea. President ERDĞAN and first lady Emine ERDOĞAN, accompanied by children from Turkiye’s southern quake-hit areas, were out on the palace deck to see off the TCG Anadolu. National Defense Minister Hulusi AKAR, Chief of Turkish General Staff General Yaşar GÜLER and Force Commanders were aboard the TCG Anadolu, which was escorted by helicopters and aircraft as it passed through the strait. After completed its passage in the Bosphorus in İstanbul, TCG Anadolu, Turkiye's largest warship, returned to Sarayburnu Port on April 23 and was once again opened to visitors on April 24.  TCG Anadolu was remain open to visitors at Sarayburnu Port by May 2, when she set off from İstanbul for İzmir. During April 17 to May 2, TCG Anadolu welcomed a total of 140.055 visitors that found an opportunity to get a first-hand look at Turkiye’s recently commissioned, long-anticipated largest warship with force-multiplier capability