VIDEO: Turkish Navy’s newest LPD TCG Anadolu undergoing sea tests

Turkish Navy’s landing platform dock (LPD) TCG Anadolu, designed by Navantia and built at Sedef Shipyard, has been undergoing inspections as part of its sea acceptance tests.

As informed, the inspections were conducted on 2 January in the Marmara Sea in the presence of Turkey’s Defence Minister Hulusi Akar.

Minister Akar, who received a briefing from the Chief of the Naval Staff, Rear Admiral İsmail Güldoğan, on the ship, went on the bridge and made examinations.

Emphasizing the importance of the domestic and national defense industry for an effective, deterrent and respected armed forces, Minister Akar said: “With the leadership, support and encouragement of our President, great strides have been made in the defense industry, and the rate of indigenousness and nationality has reached the level of 80 percent.”

The steel-cuting ceremony for the vessel was held in April 2016, while ship’s sea acceptance tests began on 20 June 2022.

The first helicopter deployment was carried out in November 2022, and TCG Anadolu is scheduled for delivery in the first months of this year.

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.