The Turlish helicopter carrier Anadolu could be capable of carrying up to 50 Bayraktar TB 3 combat drones.

Haluk Bayraktar, the chief executive of Turkish drone-maker Baykar, revealed images and video of a new launch system during an online event last week that coul dbe fitted to the vessel.

Artwork Bayraktar posted during his presentation depicts Baykar TB-2/3 drones on Anadolu’s deck.

Describing what the video shows, David Axe with Forbes says:

“A winch and pulley are visible on the vessel’s centerline. The cable runs along the bow ramp to a spot on the deck where the TB-2/3 is ready to launch. The winch presumably would drag the drone across the deck and up the ramp. That, combined with the thrust of the 21-foot-long TB-2/3’s 100-horsepower engine, could get the propeller-driven drone airborne with most or all of its 300-pound payload.”

https://twitter.com/TurkishFacts4U/status/1390674352631209988

The project has been discussed in depth online in the Turkish defence community.

https://twitter.com/TurkishFacts4U/status/1390651472493170688

The Turkish Navy is facing a bit of a problem with regard to what to put on the vessel. Turkey had intended to operate F-35Bs from its new assault ship, that can’t happen now.

The TCG Anadolu during construction.

The TCG Anadolu is based on the Spanish ship Juan Carlos I, a multi-purpose amphibious assault ship. Navantia provided design, technology transfer, equipment and technical assistance to Sedef Shipyard of Turkey for the design and development of the Anadolu.

From the start of the Turkish amphibious assault ship programme, the Turkish Navy had wanted a vessel purely designed to operate helicopters. However, local media reported that soon after exploring options for the design, the Turkish Navy later changed its plans and opted for a fully equipped flight deck with a ski-jump ramp in front, intending to purchase the F-35B STOVL aircraft.

Turkish national newspaper, Hurriyet Daily News, reported at the start of 2019 that the country was planning to buy a number of F-35B jets in addition to its plus 100 F-35As, the paper stated that this was “planned to be procured in line with Ankara’s growing interest in strengthening its naval forces, mainly for overseas operations”, the vessel they’d fly from is the TCG Anadolu.

The commissioning of the ship is scheduled for 2021 and she is expected to cost around $1 billion. Jane’s had also confirmed Turkey’s interest in the the F-35B, citing Turkish and Western defense industry sources. According to Jane’s:

“A senior Turkish Defence Industries undersecretariat official expressed his country’s interest in buying F-35 STOVL variants to Vice Admiral Mathias Winter, head of the US Defense Department’s F-35 programme office, during a meeting held in Ankara in mid-October.”

Fast forward to 2019, When Turkey defied US warnings to go through with its purchase of Russian S-400 air defence system, it was warned that this could be a threat to information relating to NATO systems. Turkey ignored those warnings. Days after the S-400s arrived, Turkey was kicked out of the F-35 programme.

Turkey was a Level 3 partner in the Joint Strike Fighter programme and the Turkish vessel TCG Anadolu was designed to be capable of operating up to 12 F-35Bs and 12 helicopters. Now, that will not be happening but the country may be able to put some sort of fixed wing aircraft onboard.

What will the drones be capable of?

The Bayraktar TB2/3 is a Turkish medium altitude long endurance unmanned combat aerial vehicle capable of remotely controlled or autonomous flight operations. It is manufactured by Turkey′s Baykar company.

Tayfun Ozberk of Defense News described the possible roles for the drones.

“A drone carrier would also be a new operational concept. Since the drones do not have air-to-air combat capability yet, their primary purpose seems to be intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance as well as small-scale strike operations (such as engaging coastal targets and naval assets with low air-defense capabilities). The drones could also be used as sonobuoy carrying platforms for anti-submarine warfare operations.”

George Allison
George Allison
George has a degree in Cyber Security from Glasgow Caledonian University and has a keen interest in naval and cyber security matters and has appeared on national radio and television to discuss current events. George is on Twitter at @geoallison
Twitter

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR

57 COMMENTS

    • In more ways than one if you believe how the Turkish Military have decimated their Pilot numbers.

        • They sacked or arrested hundreds of pilots after the failed coup.
          I believe that Turkey has been relying in Pakistani pilots.
          This rather shows what a bad idea it was to bring Turkey into the F35 programme.

          • Wrong letting Pakistani Pilots use Turkish F16‘s is against purchase agreements made between Turkey and the US.
            Turkey has not decimated its Pilot count even the purge was in 2016 which is 5 years ago where Normal F16 Pilots require about 2-3 years into training.
            Even the Turkish Air Force has rapidly developed their F16 (23) to attack the PKK in N.Iraq.

          • Ace wrote:

            Wrong letting Pakistani Pilots use Turkish F16‘s is against purchase agreements made between Turkey and the US.

            I read that the Turks got around that ruling, by claiming that the Pakistani pilots are there just for training

            Ace wrote:

            Turkey has not decimated its Pilot count even the purge was in 2016 which is 5 years ago where Normal F16 Pilots require about 2-3 years into training.

            I read in the Turkish media as of last july that the Turkish airforce is short 300 pilots

            Ace wrote:

            Turkey has not decimated its Pilot count even the purge was in 2016 which is 5 years ago where Normal F16 Pilots require about 2-3 years into training.

            I was under the impression that the Turkish plan to upgrade their F16s was put on hold due to the US holding back support, resulting in Turkey pushing its own modifications such as its own AESA radar, resulting in a delay in upgrading their jets.

          • Well what you heard about it does mot matter moreover there are no legitimate prove that Pakistani Pilots used Turkish F16 in Operations of Turkey.
            Lets not forget that Turkey has still the ability to conduct Large Scale Operations inside or abroad even doing Large Air Exercises on one side and simultaneously bomb the PKK in Iraq or Syria.

            Due to the US imposing an Arms Embargos to Turkey which forced Turkey to not delay its F16 Upgrades and use its own Technology Avionics and so on on the Block 70/72 Configuration Turkey Made.
            The Turkish AESA Radar „Made by Aselsan“ is to be expected to be operational by the end of the year or even earlier.

          • Can’t believe America hasn’t pulled their nukes out of Turkey by now. They are no real ally of America and the West. Their “dictator” is in Putin’s back pocket now and selling drones to anyone that has the money.

          • Agree with nuke comment but the Turks are certainly not in Putins back pocket. Three major ‘big game’ areas of conflict with Russia or their puppets in the past 3-4 years. Armenia, Libya and Syria.

          • Do you know how long ago that coup attempt was? Do you onow how long it takes for a Turkish Airforce F-16 pilot to be trained? Do you know how many large scale air operations Turkey conducted successfully after the coup attempt? Northern Syria and Northern Iraq Operations included 70-90 F-16’s per sortie!

          • Why would Turkey allow an pseudo-Islamist cult to rule within its airforce?
            The past successes in Operation Northern Syria and Northern Iraq post-coup was the product of a new dynamic and disciplined air force. Turkey now has tripple the number of combat fighter pilots pre-coup attempt thanks to more trainer aircraft and the training of more pilots within the 6 yr period post coup attempt

          • Erdogan is the Pseudo-islamist, hes steamrollered over the founding secularist principles of Attaturk.

          • Mate the failed Coup was more of a false flag effort by Erdogan in order to round up and sort out the many dissenters and threats to his authority. If you study the timescale, those involved, the assets etc its quite clear to any military analyst or someone with a little intelligence experience, that the whole thing was an Erdogan effort. And sad to say very successful in its outcome for him.

  3. Seems a good idea, its certainly ‘out the box’ thinking, drones are the way ahead it seems and certainly in the short(ish) term they can tick some boxes. By the sound of it, we’re looking at similar ideas what with the interest in getting non VSTOVL stuff into the air.

    • Yeah this is the system I referenced in the thread about the EW suggestions. I believe these drones are some of the types that decimated the Armenian tank force at least it says so in the article I read about it recently and where this one originates I would say.

      • The president of AZerbaijan said that the Turkish drones destroyed 2billion USD worth of equipment all alone in the 44 days of war. The TB3 can not fight air2air but it will be great in ISR mission. It can soften up the shore for the planned landing of tanks. it has many potentials.

      • They’ve also been effective (although not without losses) in Syria and Libya- “Bayraktar diplomacy” is a term being used by some to describe Turkey’s military involvement in these conflicts in exchange for influence/future deals etc.
        I would be interested to know what would be achieved by operating them from a carrier deck, so far Turkey hasn’t had a problem with finding a local friendly air strip to run them from and they aren’t exactly expeditionary in the way that the US and UK are. But I suppose it gives a level of deniability (particularly in places like Libya), and is definitely a low-risk way of getting into the carrier-borne UCAV game- which is currently only being played by the US (as far as I know).
        Expect the next “naval” Bayraktar to be capable of air to air combat, and potentially be jet powered.

  6. Their indigenous aircraft program like their tank program has proved to be vapourware so what else do you do with a flightdeck and no planes?

    • The TF-X Fighter Prototype is slowly coming as of recently the first metal cuts have been made such as small components being produced.
      Turkey‘s Altay MBT Programm is getting positive development since Turkey has fired up its first domestic produced 1500HP Engine.

      Turkey can use its Unmanned Attack Helicopter T-629 Atak 2 which is still in development but will still be an Autonomous System.

  8. Sure hope they have a few well armed frigates/destroys to accompanying this ship or it won’t last long with the bullets start to fly.

    • Turkey produces many classes of naval warships: MILGEM class, Istif Class Frigate, TF-2000 class Destroyers, REIS class Type 214TN AIP Submarines, MILDEN class submarines etc
      Google these names.

      Turkey’s carrier fleet escorts are on par with any other NATO navy

      • *Germany produces.
        Also I wouldn’t classify a handfull of Oliver-Hazard Perrys and MEKO 200s + corvettes as “on Par” with most other NATO navies.

        • The entire fire and control systems battle management systems and the hardkill soft kill systems are Turkish made. The only thing German is maybe the empty hull of the ship it self

          • Ah yes, Mk41, Harpoon, MTU engines, Thales CMS… yup all very Turkish across the fleet.

          • Turkey has started to develope its own VLS system. Harpoon will be replaced with Atmaca anti ship missile. Thales CMS is replaced with Turkish CMS system. The only thing left in your list is the MTU engines. I am waiting till you will say the screws are also foreign. LOL. Keep hating. Turkish defence indusry was 20% domesticly produced just 15 years ago. Today we produce 80% ourselves. JUst in 15 years. Within 10-15 years we also will solve the engine problem, i wonder what you will use as an excuse than :))

          • Call me in 15 years and we’ll talk, for now, Turkeys navy is not turkish built, it’s German built, Spanish built, and American built, since not one of the things you’ve mentioned is in service with a surface escort and remain largely paper projects. When Turkey has produced it’s own Navy, and that navy is proven to be “on par” with any NATO navy (good luck), then the two of you will be right.

            Until then, it’s not “hating” to point out that Turkey does not have a domestic escort fleet that is on par with “any” NATO fleet. Sorry.

            If I was hating I’d point out that it doesn’t matter how good the equipment is, because the Turks have already proven how badly they can stuff it up when they’re given first rate tanks.

          • What are you on about just bashing the Turks? Our own carriers fly foreign jets . We have foreign tech in the carrier too . I give the Turks credit for where credit is due as our defence minister did. They are leading in affordable drone tech globally now which devastated Russian air defence systems. We don’t even produce such drones . Although MOD is inspired by the Turkish drones development and is heading in that direction.

            They have developed autonomous speed boats with anti ship missiles and hunt subs too and will link with drones in the sky multiplying force numbers. Turkey is developing unnamed jet too. Im certain within 5 to 10 years they will lead in Europe with such military tech with speed they are developing.

          • The ship design is Spanish and I think it was built by Navanita a Spainsh company. Apart from that you are correct, fire control, hardkill/softkill systems are all Turkish.

  9. Well I’ve been in winch launched gliders and they certainly work, but not convinced of the practicality for drone launching though in anything other than the calmest of conditions. Sounds like the poor man’s substitute for a catapult.

    • I agree Sean,

      It is certainly a make the best of a bad job solution, although I see no reason why it couldn’t be made to work.

      My main concern would be those drones have very efficient high aspect wings (glider like) so will be vulnerable to high wind speeds over the deck. Even fully loaded they could be damaged by a gust. I don’t think these are insurmountable issues, just saying it is not a straight forward thing to do.

      To be fair to Turkey, they may be planning on using the existing drone designs, but once they start getting some optional experience I am sure they’ll start to deploy variants and even new drones better suited to the new operational environment. Not many have done what they are proposing.

      Cheers CR

      • Exactly, I saw a glider get hit by cross-field gust as it was launching. It rolled with its right wing rolling downwards and bearing to the right, it only just missed crashing into the control tower.
        Add in a pitching deck and munitions aboard the drone and….

        I think VSTOL drones, similar to a F35B in operation but maybe a quarter of the size would be a more successful approach.

        • I used to fly gliders over at Lasham, it was a real shit-your-knickers moment when a crosswind picked up during a launch. There’s no way in fuck I’d trust a winch launch and low-powered aircraft combo at sea.

          My bet is it’ll take less than a year into operation for one of those drones to get blown sideways off the ramp

  10. Not loving the CIWS bow mounting. Looks like what it is, a total afterthought (on the part of Navantia). Looking closely, I would say one might platform mount two R2D2s at the portals in the forward hull, port & starboard. Closer to waterline too so better aspect on target.

  12. What is the range of this drone? Looked at Wiki ( may not be reliable ) and it quotes 150KM. And people complain about F35B’s range!

    If the RN had it folks would be saying the carrier is a sitting duck off the coastline….😉

    • The new Turkish UCAV (to big for the LHD)
      AKINCI UCAV
      -20m wingspan,
      -12,5m long
      – 4,1m high

      -40,000 feet.
      -maximum take-off weight of 5,5 tons
      -payload capacity of 1.350kg
      – 24 hours of endurance
      -powered by two turboprop engines each generating 550hp.

      Equipped with indigenously developed:

      -SatCom
      -CATS FLIR
      -Wide Area Surveillance System
      -ELINT (Electronic intelligence)
      -SIGINT (Signal intelligence)
      -ESM Pod
      -Collision Avoidance System
      -Multi-role AESA Air Radar
      -AR/GMTI Radar.
      -SAR (synthetic aperture radar)
      -EW pod

      -6 artificial intelligence computers on board
      – for automatic mapping and terrain scanning
      – automatic target recognition and valuation
      – AI Avionics for navigation even when GPS is lost
      – network capability
      – swarm capability

      AKINCI can be armed with domesticly produced wide range of air-to-ground munitions including

      -MAM-L
      -MAM-C
      -CIRIT
      -Mk81 and Mk82 general-purpose bombs
      – smart munitions (such as HGK, KGK and LGK) with various guidance kits
      -SOM ALCM (Air launched cruise missle 350+km range)

      AKINCI UAV will also be equipped with air-to-air missile systems domestically developed in Turkey and will be deployed in air-to-air missions.

    • Hi Daniele,
      I agree, it isn’t a hugely applicable move at this point. I wonder if it isn’t a baby step on the way to a carrier-bourne UCAV?
      My (limited) understanding is that the real tricky stuff involving carrier ops is take-off and landing- particularly when talking about an unmanned system having to deal with pitch and rroll of the ship etc. What better platform to practice with than a low-cost drone with airframe and design that the company is well familiar with? doesn’t matter if a few of these go off the side of the deck!

      • Afternoon Joe.

        Agree. My understanding is as limited as yours. I’m just pleased we will soon have both.

        • For sure, Project Vixen sounds pretty interesting!
          I guess we have the benefit of close operations with the USN and also with working out the rolling landing stuff for the F-35B (which I believe involves a fair amount of automation) to help us get to where we want to be with respect to carrier based UCAVS.

    • TB3 is different to TB2 it’s the naval version .
      The carrier will carry TB3 which is new.
      The new TB2 out soon has longer range and is satalite controlled. The new Akinci Drone has 700km range and cruise missiles cover 300km range plus air to air missiles too.

      Turkish air drones will operate along with with autonomous high speed boats with anti ship missiles that hunt subs too . This will multiply escort fleet numbers and can challenge any navy in open sea

  13. I think this is a very good idea. The drone can fly 200-300 km from the LHD and provide an early warning against potential danger, what will give the LHD more time to respond to the incomming treat. Let say the LHD has own radar with 200 km range. You fly the drone at 400 km outside of the LHD and you will double your air and sea observing. If you want to land tanks with the LHD, you can send 20 drones in front and they can soften up the beach you want to land and even take out some of the air defence or anti ship defence systems.

    • And Air Guns too mate…. personally I don’t have any Kral’s in my collection but wouldn’t mind a Puncher…. Turkish Walnut Stocks are lovely !

  16. Has anyone noticed the forward mount, it looks like a twin Sea RAM and twin 20mm-30mm CIWS. If that is the case that will give a dab hair day.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here