“Non-combatant evacuation operation” was carried out within the scope of the “Eastern Mediterranean-2023 Invitation Exercise” organized under the command and management of the Naval Forces Command.
The exercise, hosted by Turkey and attended by ships, personnel and observers from 8 countries, was held off the coast of Antalya’s Konyaaltı district.
Naval Forces Commander Admiral Ercüment Tatlıoğlu, participating and observer country representatives and journalists watched the operation from the domestic and nationally produced TCG Anadolu ship, the largest warship of the Turkish Armed Forces.
The operation, which was planned to take citizens who needed to be evacuated due to the earthquake according to the scenario, from the shore to the ship, started after Admiral Tatlıoğlu took his place. According to the scenario, in order to save civilians on the shore, amphibious marine infantry units, SAT and SAS teams, 3 Mechanized Landing Ships (LCM) and 4 Armored Amphibious Assault Vehicles (ZAHA) and 2 boats on TCG Anadolu set out to sea from the pool deck on TCG Anadolu.
Meanwhile, the other amphibious marine infantry units on the ship landed on Sarısu Beach with military helicopters and ensured coastal safety.
The troops reached the shore with LCM and ZAHAs, including an armored personnel carrier, and successfully picked up civilians and delivered them to the TCG Anadolu ship.
Within the scope of the exercise, a civilian who was injured on the shore and a personnel who had health problems on the submarine were also transferred to TCG Anadolu by helicopter.
After the military units that landed on the ship raised Turkish and Azerbaijani flags, the helicopters saluted Admiral Tatlıoğlu.
The exercise, which will continue until November 25, includes 26 ships, 4 submarines, 3 maritime patrol planes, 10 maritime helicopters, 5 UAVs, 3 SAT task teams, 2 SAS task teams, 1 CBRN team, 1 amphibious marine infantry battalion, 1 Marine from the Land Forces Command. CH-47 helicopters, 3 general purpose helicopters, 16 mission flights of naval operations air support elements from the Air Force Command, 4 mission flights of aerial warning and control aircraft, and coast guard boats participated.
The opinions expressed herein are the author’s and not necessarily those of News2Sea.
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