Turkish Navy’s first aircraft carrier to enter sea trials

Turkish Navy’s first light aircraft carrier TCG Anadolu has left the shipyard for a series of sea trials, according to Sedef Shipyard’s officials.

The ship has left the shipyard where it was built on 27 February. The images posted on social media show the vessel was pulled from the port with two tugboats in the Sea of Marmara.

TCG Anadolu combines the characteristics of a landing helicopter dock and an aircraft carrier. It is named after the peninsula of Anatolia which forms the majority of the landmass of Turkey.

The vessel features 232 meters in length and 32 meters in width. The construction works began on 30 April 2016 while the keel was laid on 7 February 2018.

According to Turkey’s officials, the ship will be equipped with Bayraktar TB3 UCAV, which can land and take off on ships with short runways.

To remind, in 2019, a small area in the forward of the ship caught fire while in dry dock but it was soon contained by shipyard workers and firefighters.

It is expected to enter service this year, according to the company’s officials.