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Türkiye's Denizkurdu-2/2026 (Sea Wolf) naval exercise held its Distinguished Observer Day in the Gulf of Antalya, firing a record eight guided missiles and one torpedo in a single exercise day.
Domestically developed Atmaca anti-ship missiles, Hisar-D naval surface-to-air missiles, and Akya heavyweight torpedoes each hit their designated targets, as Chief of General Staff Gen. Selcuk Bayraktaroglu declared the Turkish Armed Forces (TAF) "a significant deterrent in the region."
The exercise, conducted with 125 vessels, 60 aircraft, and 18,000 personnel across the Black Sea, Marmara, Aegean, and Eastern Mediterranean, showcased a fully domestically sourced live-fire capability at record ranges while delivering a pointed message to international observers that Türkiye's naval deterrence is now anchored in indigenous systems across various weapons categories.
The submarine TCG Sakarya fired an Akya heavyweight torpedo at a target ship from 10 kilometers, striking it and breaking it into two pieces.
Video footage showed the target vessel sustaining severe damage and splitting rapidly after impact.
The Atmaca anti-ship guided missile was fired from the corvette TCG Burgazada at a surface target 102 kilometers away, described as the longest-range Atmaca firing ever conducted in the Eastern Mediterranean.
The Hisar-D guided missile successfully intercepted an aerial target traveling at 555 kilometers per hour.
Five additional guided missiles were fired by naval aviation assets at four real targets at sea. All firings were conducted in a 2,488 square nautical mile secured area in the Eastern Mediterranean, guarded by 27 ships and four aircraft.
The Pirana Kamikaze Unmanned Surface Vehicle (USV) also conducted a live attack on a surface target from 3.5 kilometers at 45 kilometers per hour.
Naval Forces Commander Admiral Ercument Tatlioglu said: "Today, as our TCG Sakarya submarine sinks its target with the Akya torpedo, we are experiencing the justified pride of having nationalized the torpedoes, the primary weapon of our submarines, the backbone of our deterrence."
"We are testing our weapons at the farthest distances by conducting the longest-range Atmaca missile firing ever in the Eastern Mediterranean. We are testing the Hisar naval guided missile in different scenarios, ending our foreign dependency in air defense against evolving and diversifying air threats," he noted.
Gen. Bayraktaroglu, who was greeted aboard the TCG Anadolu with a 19-gun salute from TCG Kemalreis, addressed observers from the flagship.
"The Turkish Armed Forces are a significant deterrent in the region with the capabilities they have acquired. Türkiye is an indispensable element of the security architecture, a game-setter and a global power," Bayraktaroglu stated.
"The Turkish Armed Forces' combat power is high and they have the capabilities to carry out every type of operation," he noted.
He highlighted the integration of cyber capabilities and AI-assisted systems into command-and-control processes, and the successful deployment of unmanned maritime and aerial vehicles from ships.
He added that Atmaca and Akya munitions had hit their targets with full precision, and that the Hisar firing from sea had demonstrated the effectiveness of naval air defense.
Presidency of Defense Industries (SSB) President Haluk Gorgun said, "The firings conducted within the scope of the Denizkurdu-2/2026 exercise were one of the concrete indicators of the strong response our defense industry ecosystem provides to the needs of our Naval Forces."
"The successful performance of the systems we developed with our national engineering power further strengthens our deterrence in the Blue Homeland," he added.
Admiral Tatlioglu said Türkiye had commissioned kamikaze unmanned surface vessels (KUSVs) alongside combat naval drones, and was developing tactics for their most effective use.
He confirmed the aircraft carrier planned for launch in September 2027 would "significantly advance the Naval Forces' capabilities in the Blue Homeland and beyond."
The Akya torpedo, developed by Roketsan as Türkiye's first indigenous heavyweight torpedo, has now completed many live-fire tests since its development began in 2009. It entered service in 2021 and is designed for Preveze (209 Type1400), Gur (Mod 209 Type1400) and Reis-class (Type-214TN) submarines, replacing foreign-supplied German DM2A4 and American heavyweight torpedoes.
After the exercise, 32 ships will be open for public visits across 18 ports in the Black Sea, Aegean, and Eastern Mediterranean.
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