TCG Anadolu

TCG Anadolu (L-400)[6][7] is an amphibious assault ship (LHD) of the Turkish Navy that can be configured as a light aircraft carrier.[2][3][4][8] It is named after the peninsula of Anatolia (Turkish: Anadolu) which forms the majority of the land mass of Turkey. The construction works began on 30 April 2016 at the shipyard of Sedef Shipbuilding Inc. in Istanbul, with the keel being laid 7 February 2018[1], and is expected to be completed in 2020.[2][3][4] The vessel is intended to meet the various needs and requirements of the Turkish Armed Forces, such as sustaining long-endurance, long-distance military combat or humanitarian relief operations; while acting as a command center and flagship for the Turkish Navy.[3]

TCG Anadolu (L-400) amphibious assault ship (LHD) during its construction at Sedef Shipyard in Istanbul.
History
Turkey
Name: TCG Anadolu
Namesake: Anatolia
Ordered: 1 June 2015
Builder: Sedef Shipbuilding, Inc.
Laid down: 7 February 2018[1]
Launched: 30 April 2019[2][3][4]
Commissioned: Late 2020 (expected)[5]
Identification: Pennant number: L-400[6][7]
Status: Under construction since 30 April 2016
General characteristics
Class and type: Anadolu-class amphibious assault ship
Displacement: 24,660 tons ("light aircraft carrier" configuration) / 27,079 tons ("LHD" configuration)
Length: 232 m (761 ft)[8]
Beam: 32 m (105 ft)[8]
Draught: 6.9 m (23 ft)[2]
Propulsion: 5 x 8000 KW Man Diesel Generators, 2 x 11 MW Siemens SiPOD , 2 x 1500 KW Bow Thruster[8]
Speed: 21 knots (39 km/h; 24 mph)[8]
Range: 9,000 nautical miles (17,000 km; 10,000 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph)[8]
Complement: 4 x LCM or 2 x LCAC[2]
Sensors and
processing systems:		 SMART-S Mk.2 S-band 3D radar, SPN-720 Naval Precision Approach Radar, GENESIS-ADVENT Combat Management System, IRST, IFF, TDL, VMF, SATCOM, LWR, DDS, Torpedo Defense System[2]
Armament:
Aircraft carried:
Notes: The ship can be configured as a light aircraft carrier or as an amphibious assault ship. It will have the ability to sustain and operate F-35B if Turkey purchases the type.[2][3][4][8]

The Sedef–Navantia consortium won the tender for the LPD/LHD project of the Turkish Navy and TCG Anadolu (L-400) will use the same design as that of the Spanish ship SPS Juan Carlos I (L-61). All of the ship's weapons system will be procured by Turkish firms Aselsan and Havelsan.[9][10][11][12][13][14] The ship will feature a Turkish combat management system, namely the GENESIS-ADVENT,[15][16][17] which will be integrated by Aselsan and Havelsan.[18] Aircraft Landing is assisted in all weather condition by Leonardo SPN-720 Precision Approach Radar.

Navantia will provide design, technology transfer, equipment and technical assistance to Sedef Shipyard of Turkey for the design and development of TCG Anadolu (L-400), which is classified as a Light Aircraft Carrier/LHD by Turkish Lloyd.[19][20]

The ship has been designed to be capable of operating the F-35B STOVL stealth multirole combat aircraft[2][3][4][8], however Turkey was removed from the F-35 program in July 2019 over security concerns.[21][22]

History

Design and specifications
SPS Juan Carlos I (L-61) in Istanbul, Turkey. May 2011.

In December 2013, the Turkish LPD/LHD program was originally estimated to cost €375 million ($500 million).[23] According to the original plan, the Turkish Navy wanted a slightly shorter flight deck without the ski-jump ramp in front, to be optimized for use with only helicopters.[24]

However, the Turkish Navy later changed its plan and opted for a fully equipped flight deck with the ski-jump ramp in front, after deciding to purchase F-35B STOVL aircraft.[24][25][2][3][8] Turkey was a Level 3 partner in the Joint Strike Fighter program and the Turkish Air Force was intending to get the F-35A CTOL version until the USA blocked the export of the advanced fighter jet to Turkey. The Turkish version of the LHD will be capable of operating up to 12 helicopters or 12 F-35Bs operated by NATO allies in "light aircraft carrier" configuration.[24][26] The dimensions of the final design are 231 meters in length, 32 meters beam, 6.8 meters draught, and 58 meters in height.[24] Its displacement will be 24,660 tons (in "light aircraft carrier" mission configuration) or 27,079 tons (in "LHD" mission configuration).[24] Its maximum speed will be 21.5 knots (in "light aircraft carrier" configuration) or 29 knots (in "LHD" configuration);[24] while its maximum range will be 9000 miles at economical speed.[24] It will have a 5,440 m² flight deck and a 990 m² aviation hangar which can accommodate either 12 medium size helicopters or 8 CH-47F Chinook heavy-lift helicopters.[24] (When the aviation hangar and the light cargo garage are unified, the ship can carry up to 25 medium size helicopters.[24] Alternatively, the ship can carry up to 12 F-35B and 12 helicopters.[24] Six more helicopters can be hosted on the flight deck of the ship.[24]) Additionally, the ship will have a 1,880 m² light cargo garage for TEU containers and 27 Amphibious Assault Vehicles (AAV);[24] a 1,165 m² dock which can host four Landing Craft Mechanized (LCM) or two Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCAC), or two Landing Craft Vehicle Personnel (LCVP);[24] and a 1,410 m² garage for heavy loads, which can host 29 Main Battle Tanks (MBT), Amphibious Assault Vehicles, and TEU containers.[24] The ship will be protected by the ARAS-2023 diver detection sonar (DDS), and will have a crew consisting of 261 personnel: 30 officers, 49 NCOs, 59 leading seamen, and 123 ratings.[27][24]

Construction

The final contract for the construction of the ship was signed with the Navantia-Sedef consortium on 7 May 2015.[24][25][28][29] The commissioning of the ship is scheduled for 2021,[24][25][28][29] and the estimated cost of the ship according to the final specifications is $1 billion.[24] The construction works began on 30 April 2016 at the shipyard of Sedef Shipbuilding Inc. in Istanbul.[2][3][4][8]

The ship caught fire whilst in dry dock on the evening of 29 April 2019.

On 21 November 2019, Turkish Defense Industry Minister Prof. Dr. İsmail Demir announced that TCG Anadolu would enter service one year ahead of schedule at the end 2020, instead of 2021.[30]

TCG Trakya

The construction of an identical sister ship, to be named TCG Trakya, is currently being planned by the Turkish Navy.[31][32] Trakya means Thrace in Turkish.

See also

References
  1. "Keel Laying of Future Turkish Navy LHD TCG Anadolu". Navy Recognition. Retrieved 8 February 2018.
  2. "Turkey Started the Construction of its future LHD TCG Anadolu". Navy Recognition. 2 May 2016.
  3. "The Construction Of The Multipurpose Amphibious Assault Ship TCG Anadolu Has Started". Bosphorus Naval News. 2 May 2016.
  4. "First steel cut for Turkish LHD ship". Naval Today. 3 May 2016.
  5. https://www.cnnturk.com/ekonomi/tcg-anadolu-2020-sonunda-hizmete-girecek
  6. "TCG Anadolu envantere girmeye hazırlanıyor". SavunmaSanayiST.com. 2019-11-21.
  7. "Türkiye'nin ilk uçak gemisi TCG Anadolu'da test süreci başladı". Turksail.com. 2020-02-02.
  8. "Technical specifications of TCG Anadolu (L-400)". Turkishnavy.net. 2 May 2016.
  9. "Turkey's 'national flagship' set to sail in 2021". hurriyetdailynews. Retrieved 5 January 2016.
  10. Navantia: "Navantia and local partner selected by Turkey for construction of one LPD based on the Juan Carlos I", 27 December 2013.
  11. Navy Recognition: "Turkey selects Navantia's Juan Carlos LHD design as winner of its LPD tender", 28 December 2013.
  12. World Maritime News: "Navantia and SEDEF Join Forces to Construct LHD and LCMs for Turkish Navy", 7 January 2014.
  13. World Maritime News: Concept design of the Turkish variant of Juan Carlos I (L-61) class BPE
  14. "Turkey's Future LHD Could Be Modified as an "Aircraft Carrier" to Deploy F-35B Jets". 2 January 2015.
  15. "Navantia and SEDEF Join Forces to Construct LHD and LCMs for Turkish Navy". World Maritime News. 7 January 2014. Retrieved 23 May 2015.
  16. "Model of the Turkish variant of Juan Carlos I (L-61) class LHD". Dartmouth Centre for Seapower and Strategy, Plymouth University. 11 May 2015. Retrieved 11 November 2015.
  17. "Turkey's Future LHD Could Be Modified as an "Aircraft Carrier" to Deploy F-35B Jets". Navy Recognition.com. 2 January 2015. Retrieved 23 May 2015.
  18. "Turkish Navy Future LHD Model Showcased with F-35B STOVL Aircraft at IDEF 2015" (Press release).
  19. "Navantia and local partner selected by Turkey for construction of one LPD based on the Juan Carlos I" (Press release). Navantia. 27 December 2013. Retrieved 23 May 2015.
  20. "Turkey selects Navantia's Juan Carlos LHD design as winner of its LPD tender". Navy Recognition.com. 28 December 2013. Retrieved 23 May 2015.
  21. Manson, Katrina; Pitel, Laura. "US Senate blocks F-35 sales to Turkey". ft.com. Financial Times. Retrieved 19 June 2018.
  22. Kevin Liptak and Nicole Gaouette. "Trump blames Obama as he reluctantly bans F-35 sales to Turkey". CNN. Retrieved 2019-07-17.
  23. "Turkey Selects Local Shipyard for LPD Contract". defensenews.com. 29 December 2013. Retrieved 5 November 2014.
  24. "Turkey signs contract with Navantia-Sedef for the construction of a light aircraft carrier", Dartmouth Centre for Seapower and Strategy, Plymouth University, 11 May 2015.
  25. "The Contract For LPD Construction Has Been Signed", Bosphorus Naval News, 19 May 2015.
  26. https://www.forbes.com/sites/hisutton/2020/05/13/turkeys-new-assault-carrier-will-transform-navy/#264f5bea9f1d
  27. "TCG Anadolu'yu yerli ARAS-2023 koruyacak | STAR". Star.com.tr. Retrieved 2020-04-23.
  28. "Contract Signed for Construction of LPD Ship for Turkish Navy", Naval-technology.com, 11 May 2015.
  29. "Havuzlu Çıkarma Gemisi 2021 yılında Deniz Kuvvetleri'ne teslim edilecek", Denizhaber.com.tr, 7 May 2015.
  30. https://www.cnnturk.com/ekonomi/tcg-anadolu-2020-sonunda-hizmete-girecek
  31. Ahmet Doğan (2019-11-09). "TCG Trakya ne zaman bitecek?". DenizHaber.com.
  32. Anıl Şahin (2019-02-14). "Deniz Kuvvetlerinden TCG Trakya açıklaması". SavunmaSanayiST.com.
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