The Turkish Navy briefed the media about the developments in its shipyards, focusing especially on the program for a second helicopter/aircraft carrier, which promises to be significantly larger than TCG Anadolu, which has already been in service since last year. The 27,000-ton Anadolu is based on the design of Navantia shipyard’s Spanish helicopter carrier/landing support Juan Carlos, so the new ship will be developed with this expertise.
However, the first specifications as recorded by www.defenceturkey.com are impressive, with a displacement of 60,000 tons (i.e. more than twice the Anadolu), length 285 meters (from 232), width 72 at the widest point with a lateral take-off deck (from 32 Anadolu ) and a draft of 10.1 meters. The configuration for aircraft service will be double, in the bow there will be a mooring ramp (STOBAR system) but also a side deck for mooring using arresting cables. No aircraft launch system, i.e. catapults (something that requires a very special know-how) is mentioned – for now – but it was hinted that something like this could be integrated in a second time, as there will be a provision of available space.
The “new Anadolu” is intended to carry manned and unmanned aircraft, with Bayraktar TB3 and Kizilelma nominated here, as well as the Anka 3 as a UCAV, but also the light fighter Hurjet of Turkish Aerospase, in its next version of course. As a total capacity it was stated that the vessel will be able to carry 50 aircraft (of all types), with 30 of them in the hangar and 20 on deck.
Propulsion will be provided by four LM2500 gas turbines (COGAG configuration) for a top speed of 25 knots, while the vessel’s range is set at 10,000 nautical miles.
For self-defense the vessel will carry a 32-cell MIDLAS launcher for anti-aircraft missiles, as well as 4 Gokdeniz close-in guns.
The Turkish Navy is doing the relevant research and development in the Directorate of Design (DPO) with the cooperation of both state and private companies, while a special team of 110 people has been set up, as it was said, to deal with the new aircraft carrier. However, the plan they showed is not the final one, as they also presented alternative configurations.
Another goal is to increase the domestic added value in new construction. In Anadolu, the Turks say they have reached 70%, so now they are aiming even higher, with few critical quorums, such as the main engines of the vessel, to remain imported.
To have an order of magnitude, if the above Turkish plans succeed, then the neighboring country will acquire an aircraft carrier equivalent to the new Queen Elizabeth class of the British Navy, which vessels reach 65,000 tons and 284 meters in length carrying 28 F-35B fighters and helicopters. That is, Ankara has ambitions to arrive with a technological leap the world’s top three in aircraft carrier size: after the US Gerald R. Ford class of 100,000 tons and the Chinese – under construction – Fujian of 80,000 tons.
