Unheeded Turkish Amphibious Edge
The West Never Learned The Lesson and Will Never Learn Soon Either
There is a military dynamic in the eastern Mediterranean Sea that favors the Turkish navy today. Currently, no one doubts that Turkiye has been the dominant economic and military power in the region since the Millennium. It has the biggest and most powerful navy in this closed sea. Yet, the unheeded Turkish amphibious edge is what makes the Turkish navy one of a kind.
TURKISH MILITARY PRODIGY REFLECTED WITH A NAVAL EXPEDITION
Turks first arrived in these waters in 1081. However, what they have done during the “Cyprus Peace Operation” in 1974 became reflective of their might to date. Nothing similar in modern times comes close to their accomplishment.
On 20 July 1974, Turkish forces established a beachhead in Cyprus. Within a month, ensuing military operations took 36 percent of the island. The swift Turkish materialized despite the US Sixth Fleet lurking nearby.
How could this be possible? Considering the US had a total hegemony in the region. Plus, Turkiye, had a miserable economy. It was practically begging financial and military aid from the US all throughout.
Still Unheeded Turkish Amphibious Edge
In 1974, Turkiye accomplished the task with an amphibious operation of 34 indigenously manufactured Turkish landing crafts. The rest of the Turkish navy consisted of second hand, 30 years old, refurbished warships, donated by the US.
50 years later, Turkish navy is 80 percent indigenously developed and mass produced. They consist of corvettes, frigates, submarines, intelligent ordinances and radars. It is nothing reminiscent of the Turkish navy in the 1970s.
ZAHA by FNSS
Recently, FNNS, one of the top twenty Turkish defense industry giants, announced delivery of the first ZAHA to the Turkish Naval Command. Armored amphibious marine assault vehicle (MAV) is touted to be even better than equivalent in the US.
FNSS will deliver a total of 27 vehicles, 23 of which are personnel carriers, 2 command and control vehicles and 2 recovery vehicles. They will be stationed on board with TCG Anadolu, the first and only “Drone Carrier” in the world. Two other Turkish warships will also have them on board.
TCG ANADOLU
“The TCG Anadolu is the first warship in the world where drones can land and take off with the largest and heaviest helicopters. She has features that will enable us to conduct military and humanitarian operations in any corner of the world if needed.” President Erdogan
TCG BAYRAKTAR & TCG SANCAKTAR
ANADOLU Shipyard, together with Aselsan, Havelsan and İŞBİR Elektrik delivered two landing ship tanks (LST) to the Turkish navy in 2017. ZAHAs will be deployed on both TCG Bayraktar and TCG Sankcaktar, alongside TCG Anadolu.
Unheeded Turkish Amphibious Edge
Do three major amphibious landing ships, like Anadolu, Bayraktar, and Sancaktar with about three dozen ZAHAs on board make an overpowering navy?
That is a question no one among the Western powers would want to answer with certainty. Considering this navy also come with the likes of 34 landing crafts that were victorious in 1974.
To make matters worse, see a couple of my earlier posts. One involves the killjoy sonars and sea mines. The other has to do with the electronic warfare capabilities of the Turkish military.
Coupled with the unheeded Turkish amphibious edge, the killjoy sonars and sea mines and electronic warfare capabilities surely turn the eastern Mediterranean Sea into a “Bermuda Triangle” where no adversary navy will be safe for the forseable future.