TCG Anadolu [Anatolia] - Aircraft
Turkey's procurement of the Russian S-400 missile defense systems prompted the U.S. administration to suspend Ankara's participation in the F-35 joint program in July 2019. This left Turkey without a clear path towards providing a fixed-wing combat capability for this ship. Turkey will thus be alone in having a large amphibious assault ship with no fixed wing aircraft.
In a statement made by Turkish drone maker Baykar chief technology officer (CTO) Selçuk Bayraktar 05 April 2021, “We are developing an aircraft that lands / takes off on the aircraft carrier called Bayraktar TB3 and is unique in that class. Its wings fold, it lands on the aircraft carrier, it can carry heavier ammunition, around 1200 kilograms”. Regarding the issue, Prof. Dr. Ismail DEMIR said, "We have various fixed wing UAV projects that will transform TCG ANATOLIA into an armed unmanned aerial vehicle ship." SavunmaSanayiST.com shared the information that the SIHA in question was Bayraktar TB3.
F-35B TCVL
Turkey had planned to buy 100 F-35A jets for its air force and 16 F-35B for the navy to deploy on its carriers. Turkey can only deploy S-400B Seahawk DSH (Submarine Defense War) helicopters on board. The Land Forces Command's S-70 Blackhawk helicopters are not suited for long-term marine use due to corrosion, as is the case with the T-129 ATAK helicopters. The Land Forces Command inventory includes 9 AH-1W Super Cobra attack helicopters, which are also used by the US Marine Corps. Spain plans to retire the AV-8B Harrier II VSTOL planes and supply the F-35B instead on the Spanish Juan Carlos LHD. Possibly Turkey might acquire these used Harriers.
The Anatolia is fitted with a runway sloped to 12 degrees for fighter planes. Milliyet reported that the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II stealth fighter and the Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey tiltrotor military aircraft were among the aircraft designed for launch from the runway, on missions by the Turkish armed forces around the world. The F-35B class 5th generation fighter and eight helicopters can be carried to theaters in the Aegean, Black Sea and Mediterranean, and the Indian Ocean and Atlantic Ocean if needed.
In March 2012 the head of the naval forces of Turkey Admiral Murat Bilgel, in an interview in the US Naval Institute Proceedings Magazine, supported the strengthening of the Turkish fleet with an aircraft carrier. In particular, the Turkish Admiral said the "the strategic priorities of our fleet for the next 5, 10 to 20 years is the creation of naval forces of well-trained and well equipped, which would be promoted in a brief period and to operate in areas of strategic interest. The design of the Turkish naval forces for the next decade includes the acquisition of an aircraft carrier which would focus to meet the working needs beyond war enterprises. We intend to increase the carrying capacity of our air transport and to gain support of multiple role naval ships, frigates, unmanned helicopters and submarines which would operate the under water for a long time."
Admiral Bilgel stated that the Turkish air forces do not have aircraft that could be adapted to an aircraft carrier, but acquiring the STOVL F-35B aircraft would provide the possibility of shipboard operations. Turkey is to buy 100 F-35 (by 2015 would receive the first two aircraft) and according to Adm. Bilgel a part of these would the F-35B STOVL type, or Turkey would provide additional aircraft of this type. TEI of Turkey (the engine division of TAI) is among the producers of the RR-GE engine of the F-35B (the STOVL version) so it won't be a surprise if Turkey would also get around 20 to 24 F-35Bs (JSF) to operate on this ship.
But after Turkey took its first delivery of the Russian S-400 missile system in July 2019, Donald Trump admitted it would be extremely hard for the United States to sell F-35 fighters jets to its NATO ally. The US president described the situation as 'unfair", suggesting it may not be his decision to halt the deal. He certainly appeared reluctant to impose sanctions on Ankara. There were indications from Trump has been talking to lawmakers as well as State Department and Pentagon officials to find a solution to what had become a legal issue for his government. Other countries had seen the F-35B as a path towards a medium aircraft carrier, but without the F-35B Turkey would not have such an option.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
| Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list |
|
|
|
