Turkish Navy's flagship to enter service in 2020

By Aysu Bicer

ANKARA (AA) - Turkey's biggest warship yet will be delivered to the country's Navy by the end of 2020, said the head of Turkey's Defense Industries Presidency on Thursday.

"The ship, called TCG Anadolu, will be the pride of Turkey," Ismail Demir said in a statement.

The TCG Anadolu will be an amphibious assault ship that will also be able to function as a light aircraft carrier.

Demir noted that the delivery phase for the ship would begin in 2020, about a year before the originally-planned 2021.

"I hope that by the end of 2020, we will have given this ship to our Navy. In our talks with the shipyard, we found they were pleased with the progress of these efforts," he said.

Demir underlined that the ship would carry Turkey to an ambitious naval position.

Construction of the vessel began in 2016 at a shipyard in the Tuzla district of Istanbul, where efforts to build the ship continue.

The vessel is intended to meet the Turkish Navy's various needs -- such as sustaining long-endurance, long-distance military combat or humanitarian relief operations -- while also acting as a command center and flagship for the Turkish Navy.

The TCG Anadolu will be able to transport a force the size of a minimum battalion without needing home base support.

It will carry four mechanized, two air-cushioned and two personnel landing vehicles as well as aircraft, helicopters and unmanned aerial vehicles. The 231-meter long and 32-meter wide ship will have a full load displacement of about 27,000 tons.