Türkiye conducted the Denizkurdu Exercise simultaneously across four seas with 100 ships, 50 aviation assets, and 14,000 personnel.
Organized within the scope of the Naval Forces Command’s 2026 exercise plan, the Denizkurdu-I/2026 Exercise was held simultaneously between September 20–25 in the Black Sea, the Sea of Marmara, the Aegean Sea, and the Eastern Mediterranean. Elements from the Naval Forces Command, Land Forces Command, Air Forces Command, and Coast Guard Command participated in the exercise, alongside unmanned surface vessels.
The exercise was monitored aboard the TCG Anadolu by Chief of General Staff General Selçuk Bayraktaroğlu, Naval Forces Commander Admiral Ercüment Tatlıoğlu, Air Forces Commander General Rafet Dalkıran, and Fleet Commander Admiral Kadir Yıldız. BAYKAR Chairman of the Board Selçuk Bayraktar, ASELSAN General Manager Ahmet Akyol, and ROKETSAN General Manager Murat İkinci were also among those observing from the ship off Aksaz.
The Denizkurdu-I/2026 Exercise was physically conducted between September 20–25 in the Black Sea, the Aegean Sea, and the Eastern Mediterranean with the participation of 100 ships, 50 aviation assets, unmanned surface vessels, and 14,000 personnel. The exercise, carried out under the 2026 exercise plan of the Naval Forces Command, was followed from the TCG Anadolu off Aksaz by Chief of General Staff General Selçuk Bayraktaroğlu, Naval Forces Commander Admiral Ercüment Tatlıoğlu, Air Forces Commander General Rafet Dalkıran, Fleet Commander Admiral Kadir Yıldız, BAYKAR Chairman of the Board Selçuk Bayraktar, ASELSAN General Manager Ahmet Akyol, and ROKETSAN General Manager Murat İkinci.
The Distinguished Observer Day activities of the exercise were carried out in the Eastern Mediterranean. Within the scope of the activities, image transmission from the Foça region to TCG Anadolu was performed during the amphibious operation scenario, and firing activities were executed with various air and naval assets. Hellfire firing from an SH-70 helicopter, 20 mm cannon firing from an AH-1W helicopter, and MAM-C firing from a Bayraktar TB2 were carried out. In addition to surface gunneries from frigates, corvettes, and fast attack craft, cannon firings from a Super Cobra helicopter and MAM-T firings from an Aksungur UCAV were also conducted.
Activities aimed at the use of unmanned systems were also carried out on Distinguished Observer Day. Chief of General Staff General Selçuk Bayraktaroğlu stated that unmanned surface vessels and UAVs, as well as newly developed underwater and surface platforms, were utilized during various phases of the exercise, and that cyber capabilities and artificial intelligence-supported programs were leveraged. Bayraktaroğlu noted that Bayraktar KALKAN VTOL UAV and FPV drone displays were performed within the scope of Distinguished Observer Day, and an attack against a surface target was also executed using the MKE-produced PİRANA Kamikaze Unmanned Surface Vessel.
Naval Forces Commander Admiral Ercüment Tatlıoğlu stated that operations aimed at the joint and integrated use of unmanned and autonomous systems with manned systems were executed during the exercise. Tatlıoğlu noted that a hybrid force model, in which manned and unmanned systems will operate together via network-centric warfare capability, was tested, and kamikaze and one-way attack-purposed unmanned surface, underwater, and air systems slated to enter the inventory were tested. It was expressed that digital command-control, communication, and link capabilities providing rapid data flow were also utilized in these activities.
Stating that future operation concepts will rely on the use of manned and unmanned systems to support each other, Tatlıoğlu conveyed that the duties and capabilities of the Naval Forces will be advanced further with the realization of the KOCATEPE, national submarine ATILAY, and national aircraft carrier projects.
Future Operation Concept
While high-precision attack activities against targets were executed with the PİRANA USV within the scope of the exercise, targets were hit by performing 20 mm cannon, CİRİT, and Hellfire firings from helicopters, and MAM-C and MAM-T munition firings from UCAVs.
The Denizkurdu-I/2026 Exercise concluded with a parade involving air, surface, and underwater assets following the Distinguished Observer Day activities.
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