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Technology Meets Geopolitics in the Eastern Mediterranean
Why Türkiye Brought Its Naval Drones to Port Akdeniz
For the past few days, I have been staying on Türkiye’s Mediterranean coast, hoping to escape the constant hustle and the irritating social issues of London life. However, while Türkiye’s social landscape is indeed entirely different, and the measured pace of a coastal resort is a welcome contrast to the rhythm of the City of London, total escape from geopolitics was not meant to be. Right before my eyes, the waters off Port Akdeniz have become the stage for a captivating spectacle: the TURNAs-2026 naval exercise, launched by Türkiye to project its military presence in the region.
Watching the maneuvers unfold from the promenade offered a rare reality check. In the media, the flagship TCG Anadolu is often photographed from wide angles to look like a massive 300-meter supercarrier. In reality, seeing its true proportions against the Taurus Mountains reveals a more compact, fortress-like amphibious assault ship — yet its real power lies in what it coordinates. Acting as a floating command hub, it was directing high-speed Sancar SİDA autonomous drone boats navigating…
