The first YLCT tank landing ship was officially launched at the Anadolu Shipyard in Istanbul. The ceremony was attended by Haluk Gergun, head of Turkey’s Defense Industry Directorate, along with senior officials from the Ministry of Defense and the Turkish Navy.
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A total of eight YLCT ships are planned to be built to strengthen the Turkish fleet. “Today, we are one step closer to our goal of having a powerful fleet,” said Haluk Gergun during the event. According to him, the second ship of this type will be launched in the coming weeks.
Each landing ship will be able to transport up to three Altai main battle tanks, developed by Turkey’s defense industry. In addition to combat missions, these ships will be used for humanitarian operations, evacuations, and responses to natural disasters.
Technical Specifications
The YLCT ships have:
- Displacement: 1,166 tons
- Length: 79.9 meters
- Width: 11.7 meters
- Draught: Less than 1.0 meter at the front and 2.5 meters at the stern
- Payload: 420 tons
- Engines: Two main engines of 3,400 kW, driving two propellers
- Maximum speed: 20 knots
- Deck area: 410 m²
In addition to tanks, the ships can accommodate 260 marines. For self-defense, they are equipped with two 12.7 mm machine guns and two 25 mm remote-controlled artillery systems.
Timelines and International Expansion
The construction of all eight ships is expected to be completed in two years. The first will be ready for commissioning in November of this year, and the last by May 2027.
Source and images: X @AnadoluShipyard / mil.in.ua. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
