PHOTO+VIDEO: Türkiye’s Bayraktar TB3 UCAV wraps up ‘historic’ flight test off TCG Anadolu

Türkiye’s domestically manufactured uncrewed combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) Bayraktar TB3 has completed a flight test off amphibious assault ship TCG Anadolu, becoming the first unmanned aerial vehicle to land on and take off a short-runway vessel, Turkish defense company Baykar revealed.

On November 19, 2024, the Bayraktar TB3 PT2, following a series of rigorous open-sea shipboard tests, successfully took off from the 12-degree inclined ramp of the TCG Anadolu, which features a short runway designed for short takeoffs. The flight lasted 46 minutes, after which the aircraft landed back on the same short runway without the need for any landing assistance.

The road to this groundbreaking achievement involved several key test phases. On June 25, 2024, during a test flight at Baykar’s Flight Training and Test Center, Bayraktar TB3 completed its high-altitude system performance test, climbing to an altitude of 36,310 feet. Powered by TEI’s indigenous PD-170 engine, the Turkish drone passed yet another critical milestone, according to the company.

Following successful tests in Çorlu, Tekirdağ, the UCAV moved to Baykar’s Flight Training and Test Center in Keşan, where it completed its first ski-jump test on June 1, 2024.

The facility in Keşan features a 12-degree ramp, identical to the one on TCG Anadolu’s main deck. After passing the ski-jump tests, the Bayraktar TB3 was cleared for operational deployment aboard the warship.

On March 26, 2024, the Bayraktar TB3 UCAV was equipped with the ASELFLIR-500 Electro-Optical Reconnaissance, Surveillance, and Targeting System, an indigenous product developed by Aselsan. The system was integrated into the aircraft during the relevant test.

Since the start of test flights, the Bayraktar TB3 UCAV has flown for 823 hours. In December 2023, it completed an endurance test, staying airborne for 32 hours and covering a distance of 5700 kilometers., the firm noted.

TCG Anadolu is the largest ship of the Turkish Navy with a length of 231 meters, a width of 32 meters and a displacement of 27,436 tons. The ship has a top speed of 20.5 knots and a range of 9000 nautical miles when fully loaded. The vessel entered service in April 2023.

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.