Bayraktar TB3 Conducts First Launch from TCG Anadolu in Major Turkish Naval UAV Milestone

Türkiye has achieved a significant milestone in naval aviation with the successful launch of its indigenous Bayraktar TB3 unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) from the deck of its flagship amphibious assault ship TCG Anadolu (L-400). This marks the first demonstration of a fixed-wing UCAV operating from a short takeoff and landing (STOVL)-configured naval platform without catapult or arrestor gear—positioning Türkiye among a select group of nations exploring carrier-based drone operations.

First Launch Confirms TB3’s STOVL Capability for Naval Use

On October 14, 2025, Baykar announced that the Bayraktar TB3 had successfully conducted its first takeoff from the deck of TCG Anadolu. The test was carried out at sea under operational conditions. The aircraft reportedly used its own engine power to launch without any assisted takeoff mechanisms such as catapults or ski-jumps. This confirms one of the core design goals of the TB3: enabling carrier-based operations using only conventional short-deck runways.

The launch took place after months of integration trials between Baykar and the Turkish Navy. Earlier in July 2024, static engine tests and taxi trials were conducted aboard TCG Anadolu while docked. The October flight marks a transition to dynamic flight testing at sea.

Bayraktar TB3: A Maritime Evolution of the Proven TB2 Platform

The Bayraktar TB3 is an advanced derivative of the widely used Bayraktar TB2 tactical UAV. Unlike its predecessor—which is land-based—the TB3 features folding wings and reinforced landing gear for shipboard compatibility. It retains medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) characteristics while adding maritime operational flexibility.

Wingspan: ~14 meters when extended; foldable for deck storage
Endurance: Over 24 hours
Payload: Up to 280 kg across six hardpoints
Engine: TEI PD-170 turbodiesel engine (170 hp)
Max Takeoff Weight: ~1450 kg
Sensors: Electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR), laser designator
Munitions: MAM-L/C smart micro munitions by Roketsan
C2 Link: Line-of-sight and SATCOM options for beyond-line-of-sight control

The addition of SATCOM capability gives the TB3 strategic reach well beyond visual range—critical for naval ISR and strike missions over blue water.

TCG Anadolu Transforms into Drone Carrier Concept

The TCG Anadolu was originally designed as a landing helicopter dock (LHD) based on Spain’s Juan Carlos I class. It was intended to operate F-35B STOVL jets before Türkiye’s removal from the F-35 program in 2019. Since then, Ankara has repurposed Anadolu into a drone carrier concept—a first-of-its-kind adaptation globally.

This shift includes modifying flight deck operations for fixed-wing drones like the TB3 and rotary-wing drones such as Baykar’s VTOL Kızılelma variant (still under development). With up to two dozen UCAVs potentially deployable aboard simultaneously, Anadolu could serve as a cost-effective force projection platform across littoral zones and contested maritime regions like the Eastern Mediterranean or Aegean Sea.

Tactical Implications: ISR-Strike Loops at Sea Without Risking Pilots

The successful integration of armed drones aboard naval platforms opens new concepts of operation (CONOPS) for Türkiye’s navy. The ability to conduct persistent ISR and precision strikes from sea without risking pilots provides asymmetric advantages against peer or near-peer threats operating in anti-access/area denial (A2/AD) environments.

Persistent ISR: Long-endurance drones can loiter over chokepoints or disputed EEZs
Surgical Strike Capability: MAM-series munitions allow engagement with minimal collateral damage
Avoidance of Pilot Risk: No need to deploy manned fighters into contested airspace
C4ISR Integration: Real-time data link with fleet command centers enhances situational awareness

This capability also complements Türkiye’s growing indigenous defense ecosystem—including radar systems by Aselsan and missile systems by Roketsan—enabling integrated kill chains entirely sourced domestically.

Kızılelma Next? Roadmap Toward Jet-Powered Carrier UCAVs

The successful deployment of propeller-driven UCAVs like the TB3 is likely just phase one. Baykar has also been developing Kızılelma—a jet-powered stealthy UCAV capable of supersonic speeds and autonomous air combat maneuvers. While Kızılelma prototypes have flown since late 2022 from land bases, navalization remains aspirational but plausible given recent progress with the TB3.

If realized, this would give Türkiye an all-indigenous carrier air wing composed entirely of unmanned systems—a disruptive model not yet fielded by any NATO member state.

NATO Implications and Regional Power Projection Goals

Türkiye’s pivot toward drone-centric naval aviation reflects both strategic necessity and industrial ambition. Excluded from Western fighter programs but possessing mature drone technologies, Ankara is leveraging unmanned systems to fill capability gaps while shaping new doctrines around them.

This development could influence other mid-tier navies seeking affordable alternatives to manned carrier aviation. It also strengthens Türkiye’s ability to project power in contested maritime zones—especially amid tensions with Greece over Aegean airspace and offshore energy claims in Cyprus’ EEZ.