Türkiye concluded its annual Denizkurdu-I/2025 naval exercise from October 6 to 10 in the Black Sea, Aegean Sea, and Eastern Mediterranean. This showed that the Armed Forces were ready to work together and were strong at sea.
The exercise included live-fire drills, submarine defence, amphibious operations, vertical replenishment, and training on how to deal with pollution and wildfires at sea.
Chief of General Staff Gen. Selçuk Bayraktaroğlu, Navy Commander Adm. Ercüment Tatlıoğlu, and Roketsan CEO Murat İkinci attended the Distinguished Observer Day On October 10.
Two Bayraktar TB3s took off from TCG Anadolu, launched MAM-L and MAM-T smart munitions, and landed on the ship, while an AKINCI UCAV operating from the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus struck three targets using ASELSAN TOLUN, Roketsan TEBER-82, and Baykar KEMANKEŞ-1 munitions before returning to Tekirdağ.
The exercise mobilised 78 surface vessels, six submarines, 50 air assets, special operations teams, and support from the Land, Air, and Coast Guard Commands, concluding with a naval parade on 10 October.
The TB3 UCAVs are not yet in the inventory of the Turkish Navy. TurDef has learned that Baykar promised to recover any damage that TB3 would cause in case of an accident. The UCAVs are expected to be accepted into inventory by the end of October, most probably at Republic Day.
Author: Özgür Ekşi