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The Turkish Navy's Anadolu Task Force will deploy across the Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea, North Sea, and Baltic Sea for a three-month operation from Jan. 20 to April 16.
The task force consists of the TCG Anadolu multi-purpose amphibious assault ship, the TCG Istanbul frigate, the TCG Kinaliada corvette, and the TCG Derya replenishment and command ship, the second-largest ship of the Turkish Navy.
The force will conduct cruises and port visits across four strategic waterways as part of NATO commitments.
Rear Admiral Zeki Akturk, Turkish Ministry of National Defense (MoND) Spokesperson, announced the deployment at the weekly press briefing on Thursday, stating: "The Anadolu Turkish Naval Task Force comprising NATO Amphibious Task Force Command and Landing Force Command headquarters, TCG Anadolu, TCG Derya, TCG Istanbul, TCG Kinaliada, one Amphibious Marine Battalion, and SAT/SAS teams with unmanned aerial vehicles, helicopters, and landing craft will conduct cruises and port visits to the Mediterranean Sea, Atlantic Ocean, North Sea, and Baltic Sea from Jan. 20 to April 16."
The task force will participate in Steadfast Dart, Northern Quadriga, Dynamic Mariner, Cold Response and Joint Warrior exercises during the deployment.
The Anadolu Turkish Naval Task Force will depart on Jan. 20 from Foca, Izmir, at a send-off ceremony.
"Turkish Armed Forces continue uninterrupted training and exercise activities to increase operational effectiveness and deterrence," Akturk noted, adding that Türkiye participated in the Multinational Air Drop Exercise held in Japan from Jan. 13 to 20.
The Anadolu Task Group previously participated in NATO's Neptune Strike 25.3 exercise conducted in the Adriatic Sea southeast of Italy in 2025.
Türkiye leads the Black Sea Mine Countermeasures Task Group, addressing mine threats in the Black Sea region.
The task group's committee meeting and command transfer and activation ceremony took place on Jan. 8 at the Besiktas Naval Museum Command. Naval Forces Commander, Bulgarian Navy Commander and Romanian Navy Commander participated.
Romania transferred the command of the task group to Türkiye for 6 months. This marks Ankara's second rotation assuming command of the group.
The Defense Ministry hosted a January 13 meeting with task group representatives on maritime security in the Black Sea. As part of the task group's eighth activation, TCG Ustegmen Arif Ekmekci and TCG Ayvalik conducted port visits to Burgas, Bulgaria, on Jan. 12-13.
The ships will conduct port visits to Constanta, Romania, on Jan. 17-18.
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