Turkey’s defense and aerospace industry is entering a transformative period at sea. Over the past decade, major strides in domestic production and naval technology have begun to bear fruit. From new warships joining the fleet to indigenous missile tests and shipborne UAV operations, the country is redefining its naval aviation capabilities. Defense experts now describe this moment as the beginning of a “golden age” for Turkish naval aviation.

Defense analyst Yusuf Akbaba highlights that while Turkey has long had a naval aviation culture, its operations traditionally relied on land-based helicopters and aircraft. The game-changer, he says, is that Turkey now possesses the ability to launch and recover unmanned systems directly from naval platforms — a milestone that only a few countries have achieved. “While most navies are trying to adapt manned aircraft systems to unmanned platforms, Turkey did the opposite. We started by integrating drones onto ships. It’s a uniquely Turkish beginning,” Akbaba remarks.

The most significant step so far has been the Bayraktar TB-3’s takeoff and landing tests aboard the TCG Anadolu, marking Turkey’s entry into the elite club of nations capable of operating shipborne UAVs. According to Akbaba, the next major leap will come when KIZILELMA, Turkey’s jet-powered unmanned combat aircraft, begins carrier-based operations. Once deployed, it will be able to perform air-to-air and strike missions, providing persistent aerial coverage over maritime zones — a powerful multiplier for naval operations. Future concepts even envision the upcoming Turkish Aircraft Carrier supporting aircraft such as HÜRJET and ANKA-3, further expanding the country’s sea-based air power.

Akbaba also underlines that TB-3 should not be seen merely as a “drone that can take off from ships.” With sufficient numbers, these UAVs can form task-specific air groups — some conducting anti-submarine warfare, others performing reconnaissance, surveillance, strike, or escort missions. This operational flexibility means Turkey will no longer rely on foreign airbases for regional interventions or humanitarian missions. Instead, from platforms like TCG Anadolu — and in the future, Turkey’s own aircraft carrier — the Turkish Armed Forces will be able to project air power independently across vast maritime zones.

Taken together, TB-3’s success, KIZILELMA’s forthcoming deployment, ANKA-3’s naval potential, and the ongoing aircraft carrier project position Turkey among the world’s few nations with a fully integrated indigenous naval air power ecosystem. This capability not only strengthens the Blue Homeland (Mavi Vatan) doctrine but also enhances Turkey’s strategic autonomy and diplomatic reach. As experts describe it, the dawn of Turkey’s “golden age” in naval aviation has officially begun.