Newsletters
Türkiye's Ministry of National Defense (MoND) released operational data Saturday showing that the Turkish Naval Forces have detected 275 suspicious objects in the Black Sea since March 26, 2022.
Identifying and destroying 10 mines, 8 kamikaze unmanned aerial vehicles, and 11 kamikaze unmanned surface vehicles, all neutralized by Underwater Defense Group (SAS) Command teams.
The MoND stated that reconnaissance, surveillance, patrol and neutralization operations have continued without interruption in the Black Sea since the start of the Russia-Ukraine war.
"Since March 26, 2022, reconnaissance-surveillance, patrol and neutralization missions targeting detected mines, USVs, UAVs, and found munitions have been carried out without interruption," the statement noted.
"A total of 275 suspicious objects have been detected. Of these, 10 were identified as mines, 8 as kamikaze UAVs, and 11 as kamikaze USVs. All identified suspicious objects have been successfully neutralized by SAS teams," the MoND statement said.
Operations to date have involved 28,150 hours of maritime navigation and 1,554 sorties totaling 7,711 hours of flight by aerial assets.
Assets deployed in the mission include frigates, submarines, patrol vessels, maritime patrol aircraft, helicopters, and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Mine surveillance activities utilize minesweepers, fast attack boats, helicopters, SAS teams and UAVs.
Three Bayraktar TB2 unmanned aerial vehicles were deployed to Kocaeli Cengiz Topel Airfield on December 17, 2025, to strengthen air and maritime surveillance coverage over the Black Sea, and additional frigates have been assigned to the region.
Currently, four maritime patrol sorties and four UAV sorties are conducted per week.
Türkiye also leads the Black Sea Mine Countermeasures Task Group (MCM Black Sea), established with the participation of Romania and Bulgaria.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the group was signed in Istanbul on January 11, 2024, with the activation process beginning on July 2, 2024.
1 min read
Operations are coordinated with the Coast Guard Command, the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, and the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure, among other relevant institutions.
Reconnaissance and surveillance activities are also ongoing around drilling and research vessels in the western Black Sea.
Set as preferred source
Set as preferred source
1 min read
