TCG Büyükada represents a milestone in Turkish naval engineering, showcasing domestically produced stealth technology, radar, and combat systems.
Turkey is the new superpower of the Middle East. More ominously, it is an overtly Islamist power with pretensions of restoring its influence under the Ottoman Empire. Toward that end, Turkey has fashioned itself into a modern military dynamo—and has deployed its proxies across the entire region to destabilize multiple regimes and enhance their own interests.
It isn’t only in places like Libya or Syria where Turkish proxies are sweeping away the old order on behalf of the would-be sultan, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Turkey has even moved into the Indian subcontinent, where Ankara is moving to prop up the embattled Islamist government of Pakistan.
Turkey had already signed several joint-defense development project deals with Pakistan. Now, as the situation between India and Pakistan slides closer to all-out war, Turkey is making clear its support for Islamabad. Recently, Ankara announced the deployment of its Ada-class anti-submarine warfare (ASW) corvette, TCG Büyükada (F-512) to Pakistani territorial waters as a show of solidarity with the Pakistanis.
Named after Büyükada Island, part of the Prince Islands archipelago in the Sea of Marmara near Istanbul, the ASW corvette was built by the Tuzla Naval Shipyard. Its keel was laid in early 2008, and it was officially launched on September 27, 2011 and commissioned in 2013.
Turkey’s navy has dubbed this warship a “ghost ship” due to its low radar cross-section, achieved through a design that deflects electromagnetic waves by seven degrees and a cooling system for its hull to reduce thermal signatures. It has the lowest radar visibility in the Turkish navy.
Büyükada comes equipped with advanced weaponry, including three-dimensional air and surface search radars with low detectability. It utilizes an advanced sonar for ASW operations. There are surface-to-surface and surface-to-land guided missiles. Anti-aircraft and anti-missile defenses populate the ship’s arsenal. Büyükada can fire Mark 54 and Mark 46 Mod Five torpedoes for submarine threats.
A helicopter platform and hangar for a ten-ton helicopter, capable of operating in tough conditions, with comprehensive support equipment, is another key feature that makes the Büyükada such a powerful asset for the Turkish Navy.
TCG Büyükada represents a milestone in Turkish naval engineering, showcasing domestically produced stealth technology, radar, and combat systems. Its ability to operate in diverse environments—from coastal waters to ocean tropics—makes it a versatile asset. The warship represents Turkey’s growing maritime power and its “Blue Homeland” doctrine, emphasizing its role in securing Turkish national interests.
Make no mistake: Turkey’s regional power is very real. It is growing. And, very soon, no one will be worrying about the Iran threat in the way that they will be worrying about the Turkish threat.
About the Author: Brandon J. Weichert
Brandon J. Weichert, a Senior National Security Editor at The National Interest as well as a contributor at Popular Mechanics, who consults regularly with various government institutions and private organizations on geopolitical issues. Weichert’s writings have appeared in multiple publications, including the Washington Times, National Review, The American Spectator, MSN, the Asia Times, and countless others. His books include Winning Space: How America Remains a Superpower, Biohacked: China’s Race to Control Life, and The Shadow War: Iran’s Quest for Supremacy. His newest book, A Disaster of Our Own Making: How the West Lost Ukraine is available for purchase wherever books are sold. He can be followed via Twitter @WeTheBrandon.
Image: Wikimedia Commons.
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