Turkish Drone Carrier Joins NATO Exercise
Türkiye’s TCG Anadolu, the world’s first dedicated drone carrier, has arrived in Rotterdam to participate in a major NATO naval exercise. The deployment showcases Turkey's advances in autonomous naval systems and provides a platform for Turkish defense tech startups to demonstrate their capabilities to NATO allies and procurement officials.
The TCG Anadolu is participating in NATO's Steadfast Defender 2024 exercise, the largest since the Cold War, involving approximately 90,000 troops from all 31 member states and partner Sweden. This exercise tests and refines NATO's defense plans for reinforcing European defenses against a near-peer adversary across land, air, sea, cyber, and space domains. The exercise runs from January to May 2024 across several European nations. Originally designed as an amphibious assault ship and light aircraft carrier, the TCG Anadolu was repurposed as a drone carrier after Türkiye was removed from the F-35 program. The ship, constructed by Sedef Shipbuilding, is a modified version of the Spanish Juan Carlos I-class and was commissioned on April 10, 2023, at a cost of over $1 billion. It measures 232 meters in length and has a displacement of 27,436 tons. The vessel's air wing is centered around unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs), primarily the Bayraktar TB3, a naval version of the famed TB2 with folding wings for carrier operations. During a recent NATO exercise, a TB3 successfully launched from the Anadolu, hit a sea target with a MAM-L precision-guided munition, and completed a joint sortie with German Eurofighter Typhoons. The ship can also operate helicopters like the AH-1W Super Cobra and has command facilities for joint operations. This deployment is a key part of Türkiye's strategy to become a top-10 defense exporter. The country's defense and aerospace exports hit a record $7.1 billion in 2024, a significant increase from $5.5 billion in 2023. Drone manufacturer Baykar is a major contributor, with $1.8 billion in exports in 2024 and a total of $2.2 billion in 2025. The exercise also serves as a platform for other Turkish defense tech firms to showcase their capabilities. During the recent Steadfast Dart 26 exercise, part of the broader Steadfast Defender series, the ASELSAN-developed ASLAN unmanned ground vehicle was deployed to demonstrate reconnaissance and combat support. Such participation in NATO initiatives is seen as a gateway to global markets for Turkish defense companies. The growth of Türkiye's domestic defense industry is a strategic priority aimed at achieving greater autonomy and reducing reliance on foreign suppliers. This push was intensified by past arms embargoes. Drone technology, in particular, has become a source of national pride and a key element of the country's foreign policy, often referred to as "drone diplomacy." The Turkish startup ecosystem in AI and robotics is also showing signs of growth, with companies like Milvus Robotics, which develops autonomous mobile robots for warehouses, raising a Series A round. Other early-stage startups to watch include Kavaken, an AI assistant for renewable energy companies, and SAHA Robotik, which is developing delivery robots. The increasing integration of unmanned systems into military doctrine is a global trend, and Türkiye's drone carrier represents a significant step in this evolution. The TCG Anadolu's performance in NATO exercises demonstrates the growing capability of Turkish-made platforms and their potential to influence allied amphibious and naval aviation strategies.
