DENİZKURDU-II/2025 Exercise

DENİZKURDU-II/2025 Exercise is a comprehensive naval operation exercise conducted simultaneously in the Black Sea, Aegean Sea, Eastern Mediterranean, and Sea of Marmara by the Turkish Naval Forces Command from 6 to 17 May 2025.

Objective

The aim of the exercise is to evaluate the operational command and control capabilities of naval commands enhance analytical foresight and decision-making skills in a multi-threat environment and test interoperability procedures with other force commands. A total of 104 surface ships 6 submarines 7 unmanned surface vehicles 52 aircraft and 22700 personnel participated. The operational command level planned managed and assessed the exercise through the Exercise Control Center located under the Naval Forces War Center (Gölcük) comprising 93 personnel. During the exercise Bayraktar TB3 UCAVs successfully conducted their first-ever launch and recovery operations from TCG Anadolu and engaged targets using MAM-L munitions. Additionally the Atmaca cruise missile was successfully employed against maritime targets.

Command and Control Structure

The command and control infrastructure of the exercise was executed through the Naval Forces War Center command chain. The 93-person Exercise Control Center managed all participating units and the progression of the scenario in real time. Central communication networks and scenario-based training objectives were conducted under a generic plan framework developed at this center. All participating ships aircraft and ground elements were connected via a unified wired/data network linked to the War Center enabling integrated tracking of mission orders and situational updates. Furthermore to ensure continuity of the exercise the Naval Forces General Secretariat conducted real media activities including journalist simulations while the Exercise Control Center simultaneously managed social media and media simulation activities. This model incorporated modern C2 Command & Control concepts.

Participants and Assets

A large number of air sea and land elements under the Turkish Naval Forces Command participated in the exercise. The exercise included 104 combat ships 6 submarines 7 unmanned surface vehicles USVs and 52 aircraft fixed-wing and helicopters totaling 120 ships and 85 aircraft. In addition four general-purpose helicopters and one Chinook transport helicopter from the Turkish Land Forces Command twenty-four attack aircraft one airborne warning and control aircraft one target towing aircraft and one transport aircraft from the Turkish Air Force Command one search and rescue team from the Gendarmerie General Command and one ship nine boats and one helicopter from the Coast Guard Command provided support. Special forces contributed one SAT and two SAS teams alongside Gendarmerie and Coast Guard units. The TCG Anadolu amphibious assault ship served as the fleet flagship and observation platform throughout the exercise.

Activities Conducted

• Scenario-based operations involving surface air land and submarine elements
• Artillery and guided munition firings using live ammunition
• MAM-L launches from Bayraktar TB3 UCAVs the first-ever dual salvo launches from a ship
• Atmaca missile engagement against maritime targets
• Surveillance and electronic warfare missions using unmanned surface vehicles
• Amphibious operations and beach landing exercises
• Command and control simulations and social media/media management
• Tactical mission trials by SAT and SAS teams

Throughout the exercise the command and control functions were managed by the 93-person Exercise Control Center established under the Naval Forces War Center. This center was tasked with ensuring the scenario and evolving situations aligned with exercise objectives and overseeing communications data networks and simulation elements. Additionally an active public relations policy was implemented during the exercise with real journalistic activities conducted in parallel with media simulations managed by the Exercise Control Center digital and social media simulations.

Training Activities and Live Firings

The training content of the exercise was designed around major naval operational areas. Multifaceted scenarios were implemented including anti-submarine warfare intelligence and surveillance naval combat air and sea support amphibious operations and coastal unit training. For anti-submarine warfare torpedo training firings were conducted. For surface defense exercises depth charges and anti-submarine rockets were fired. Unlike SU-35/30 attack aircraft this exercise also tested scenarios against Turkish Land Forces and Air Force units. Land forces represented enemy units stationed on Anadolu while air defense scenarios created dynamic environments using air defense missile batteries and electronic warfare units. Lessons learned from anti-submarine warfare operations observed in the Georgian and Ukrainian maneuvers were integrated into the training under a multi-threat simulation environment.

Live firing training activities are a critical component of this exercise. Surface ships conducted naval bombardments using their main guns against coastal targets surface defense firings using depth charges and anti-submarine rockets and aerial attacks using helicopters equipped with cannons rockets and guided munitions against real targets.

Turkish Naval Forces AH-1W Super Cobra attack helicopters conducted cannon and guided rocket firings using munitions such as MAM-T. According to the Ministry of National Defense’s social media post targets were successfully destroyed using helicopter cannons rockets and guided munitions. The Atmaca cruise missile inventory of the Turkish Naval Forces was used during early-stage submarine launch training exercises. On 10 May 2025 the Atmaca missile was launched against a maritime target in the Sinop firing range and successfully hit its target. For surface defense purposes a SM-1 surface-to-air missile was fired against high-speed unmanned aerial targets. Helicopter and unmanned system firings played a major role in the exercise. Helicopter launch and recovery drills from TCG Anadolu were conducted in coordination with live-fire training by coastal units in support of amphibious operations.

Mission Profiles

On 14 May 2025 the Selected Observer Day of the DENİZKURDU-II/2025 Exercise Bayraktar TB3s participated in a mission for the first time. Two Bayraktar TB3s PT-3 and PT-4 launched consecutively from the short runway of TCG Anadolu and engaged pre-planned land targets using MAM-L munitions. Each vehicle was configured to carry two MAM-L munitions resulting in a total of four munitions fired in salvos.

Use of Unmanned and Advanced Systems

DENİZKURDU-II/2025 provided a platform for the collective deployment of the latest products of Türkiye’s domestic defense industry. First the Marlin and Albatros unmanned surface vehicles which participated in the 2024 exercise were again tested in 2025 for reconnaissance surveillance electronic warfare and swarm attack missions. The Atmaca missile integrated into the new Karadeniz-class submarines was used for the first time under active training conditions during the 2025 exercise.

All Systems and Assets Used in DENİZKURDU-II/2025 Exercise:

The exercise included 104 surface ships 6 submarines 7 unmanned surface vehicles 52 aircraft 1 submarine attack team 2 submarine defense teams and coastal units under the Turkish Naval Forces Command. Additionally four general-purpose helicopters and one Chinook helicopter from the Turkish Land Forces Command twenty-four attack aircraft one airborne warning and control aircraft one target towing aircraft and one transport aircraft from the Turkish Air Force Command and one ship nine boats and one helicopter from the Coast Guard Command participated.

Turkish Naval Forces Command Assets

• 104 surface ships
• 6 submarines
• 7 unmanned surface vehicles USVs
• 1 submarine attack SAT team
• 2 submarine defense SAS teams
• TCG Anadolu LHD – Multi-Purpose Amphibious Assault Ship
• Bayraktar TB3 2 units with tail codes PT-3 and PT-4
• Various support boats and landing craft

Turkish Air Force Command Assets

• 24 attack fighter aircraft (likely F-16 and equivalents)
• 1 AWACS – Airborne Warning and Control Aircraft Boeing 737 AEW&C
• 1 target towing aircraft
• 1 transport aircraft

Turkish Land Forces Command Assets

• 4 general-purpose helicopters (likely UH-1H S-70 or T-70)
• 1 CH-47 Chinook heavy-lift helicopter

Coast Guard Command Assets

• 1 CG ship
• 9 CG boats
• 1 CG helicopter

Unmanned Systems

• Bayraktar TB3 UCAV 2 units equipped with MAM-L munitions
• MARLIN unmanned surface vehicle ASELSAN–SEFINE joint development
• ULAQ series unmanned surface vehicles ARES–Meteksan Savunma
• Various unmanned surface systems including Sancar Salvo Albatros-S MİR and NB57
• Bayraktar TB2 used for auxiliary targeting in coordination with TB3

Various unmanned systems participated in the exercise. The ASELSAN–Sefine jointly developed Marlin unmanned surface vehicle and STM-produced Albatros unmanned surface vehicles first participated in naval exercises during DENİZKURDU-II/2024. In the 2025 exercise these USVs continued their missions and unmanned aerial vehicles UAVs/UAAs were also heavily utilized.

Exercise Outcomes and Assessments

The DENİZKURDU Exercise involving participation from the Turkish Naval Forces Command Turkish Land Forces Command Turkish Air Force Command and Coast Guard Command was officially announced by the Ministry of National Defense of the Republic of Türkiye as successfully completed on 7–16 January 2025 and presented to the public.

Activities were conducted as follows:

1. 7–8 January 2025 – Pre-Operation Training
2. 9 January 2025 – Selected Observer Day Activities at Aksaz/Marmaris
3. 10–11 January 2025 – Port Visits and Logistics Integration Activities
4. 12–13 January 2025 – Operational Preparation and Live Weapon Training
5. 14–16 January 2025 – Multi-Threat Environment Operations Training MTEOT

The exercise concluded as planned.

Strategic Significance

• Demonstration of the Turkish Naval Forces’ capability to operate in multi-threat environments
• Emphasis on maritime sovereignty under the Blue Homeland strategy
• Operational testing of domestically produced defense industry products
• Scale expansion with increased numbers of assets personnel and technology compared to the 2024 exercise
• Display of international deterrence and military preparedness levels

DENİZKURDU-II/2025 Exercise strengthened the Turkish Naval Forces’ power projection under the Blue Homeland strategy tested the integration of new weapons and systems and enhanced personnel operational capability. According to official statements more than 22700 military personnel participated in the exercise a more than 50 percent increase compared to the previous year.

The Selected Observer Day of the exercise commenced with salvo fire from TCG Oruçreis with participation from units and aircraft designated by the Turkish Naval Forces Command.

DENİZKURDU-II/2025 has been reported as a critical exercise demonstrating the Turkish Naval Forces’ readiness for multidimensional warfare using both traditional and modern combat technologies.