The Turkish Navy’s Aydın-class mine countermeasure vessel TCG Anamur (M-269) arrived at Piraeus Port, Greece, as part of its mission within NATO’s Standing Mine Countermeasures Group 2 (SNMCMG-2). The deployment underscores Türkiye’s continued contribution to NATO’s maritime security architecture and collective defense efforts in the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean regions.

During the port visit, the ship’s commanding officer, Naval Lieutenant Commander Alper Pabuççu, along with the crew and Turkish defense attachés stationed in Athens, visited the Turkish Martyrs’ Cemetery in Piraeus. A commemorative ceremony was held in honor of Turkish soldiers who were martyred during the Balkan Wars, World War I, and the Turkish War of Independence. The ceremony included a moment of silence and the laying of red and white carnations on the graves.

The vessel later hosted Türkiye’s Ambassador to Athens Çağatay Erciyes and Consul General Işıl Işık Civelik, who signed the ship’s commemorative book. The visit highlighted the diplomatic dimension of naval deployments and reinforced bilateral and alliance-level military engagement.

Commissioned between 2005 and 2008, TCG Anamur is one of six Aydın-class mine countermeasure vessels designed with advanced non-magnetic steel hulls to minimize vulnerability against magnetic mines. Equipped with state-of-the-art sonar systems capable of detecting mines at distances of 400–600 meters, the vessel can maneuver with 360-degree rotational capability, enabling safe navigation and mine neutralization in complex maritime environments. It remains among NATO’s most modern mine countermeasure platforms.