DENİZKURDU-II/2024 exercise has been conducted with more than 100 ships and aircraft in service with the Turkish Navy. The exercise demonstrates the joint operational capabilities of the Turkish Navy’s various assets. New platforms of the Navy, like TCG Anadolu LHD (L-400), MARLIN USV alongside ALBATROS-S USVs, and AH-1W Super Cobra attack helicopter participated in the exercise. TCG Anadolu displayed its capability to deploy different platforms simultaneously with its S-70 Seahawk helicopters, AH-1W Super Cobra attack helicopters, and MAV (ZAHA) amphibious vehicles.
AH-1W fired at a target ship with its 20 mm M197 Gatling gun, and one of the S-70 helicopters fired ROKETSAN’s TEMREN missile. Other Turkish Navy ships participating in the exercise include Ada-class corvettes, Barbaros-class (MEKO-200TNII) frigates, TCG Alemdar (A-582) submarine rescue ship, various fast attack craft and seven submarines. ASELSAN-Sefine JV’s MARLIN USV jointly operated with the smaller ALBATROS-S USV to demonstrate unmanned-unmanned teaming.
Previously, MİR USV from the same JV acted as the pack leader for ALBATROS-S USVs during a test. Later, an ALBATROS-S USV converted into a kamikaze USV struck a target ship with targeting from a Bayraktar TB2 armed UAV. ALBATROS-S USV is an important testbed for developing and testing autonomy and swarm technologies. Additionally, TUSAŞ’s AKSUNGUR UCAV flew alongside a P235 MPA and S-70 Seahawk helicopter and dropped ROKETSAN’s MAM-T glide munition for the first time earlier in the exercise. The Turkish Air Force participated with 26 attack aircraft, one AEW&C aircraft, one target towing aircraft, and one A400M transport aircraft. The Air Force’s F-16s form a supporting leg for the anti-surface warfare capabilities.
