The Turkish Naval Forces made history at Steadfast Dart 2026, one of NATO's most prestigious exercises conducted in the Baltic Sea. Admiral Ercüment Tatlıoğlu, Commander of the Turkish Naval Forces, announced that Bayraktar TB3s taking off from the TCG Anadolu were used in a NATO exercise and an amphibious operation for the first time. By projecting power to a distance of 8,000 kilometers, the Turkish Navy gained a new doctrine for NATO literature with the UCAV-supported amphibious operation concept.
The platforms developed by the Turkish defense industry are changing not only the inventory but also the rules on the battlefield. The Steadfast Dart 2026 Exercise, held in the Baltic Sea, north of Germany, with the participation of 11 countries, became a showcase for the Turkish Navy's global power projection capability and its vision for unmanned systems. Admiral Ercüment Tatlıoğlu, who inspected the indigenous power elements on board TCG Anadolu, shared critical details regarding the strategic importance of the exercise.
A New Doctrine for NATO: UCAV-Supported Landing
Oramiral Tatlıoğlu’nun açıklamalarında en dikkat çeken vurgu, Bayraktar TB3’lerin operasyonel kullanımı oldu. Tatbikata 3 adet Bayraktar TB3 ile katılan Türk Deniz Kuvvetleri, bu platformları sadece keşif için değil, ilk kez bir amfibi harekatın ateş destek unsuru olarak kullandı.
Tatlıoğlu summarized this situation with the following words:
"We are using TB3s, our unmanned aerial vehicles, in an amphibious operation for the first time. We are conducting firings with our unmanned aerial vehicles for the first time in this exercise. This is also a new doctrine for NATO. It is the first amphibious operation we have conducted within NATO using UAVs."
This move implies that a cost-effective and flexible Turkish solution, which meets the need for air support in classic amphibious landing operations with ship-based armed UAVs instead of aircraft carriers or land-based aircraft, is also being tested by NATO.
Power Projection to 8,000 Kilometers
Tatbikat, sadece teknolojik bir gösterim değil, aynı zamanda lojistik bir zafer. Türk Deniz Kuvvetleri, ana üslerinden 8 bin kilometre uzaklıktaki bir operasyon sahasına, yerli ve milli gemilerden oluşan dev bir armadayla intikal etti.
The Anadolu Turkish Naval Task Group participating in the exercise consists of the following elements:
- TCG Anadolu: Multipurpose Amphibious Assault Ship (LHD)
- TCG Derya: Replenishment Combat Support Ship (DIMDEG)
- TCG Istanbul: Our first national frigate (I-Class)
- TCG Oruç Reis: Frigate whose mid-life modernization was completed with national resources.
This fleet structure proves Türkiye's capability to conduct long-term and comprehensive operations in open seas.
Armored Landing: ZAHAs in Baltic Waters
In the land phase of the exercise, the Marine Assault Vehicle (MAV/ZAHA) produced by FNSS took the stage. Admiral Tatlıoğlu drew attention to the technical superiority of these vehicles, which can operate both at sea and on land: "We transported our amphibious power with these armored vehicles that can travel at 7 knots at sea and 70 kilometers per hour on land."
With the participation of SAT (Underwater Offence) and SAS (Underwater Defence) commandos, the amphibious marine infantry battalion, and unmanned surface vehicles (USV), the Turkish Navy demonstrated that it can single-handedly manage a multi-dimensional (underwater, surface, air, and land) operation in the Baltic Sea.
Global Navy Vision
Admiral Tatlıoğlu's words, "We are present not only in the Baltic Sea but all over the world," reveal the strategic vision of the Turkish naval power extending from Somalia to the Persian Gulf, from Libya to the Adriatic. Steadfast Dart 2026 served as the most concrete proof that Turkish UCAVs and national ships will be at the center of NATO's future warfare concepts.
