Drone carrier

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A drone carrier is a crewed or uncrewed ship equipped with a flight deck on which drones (unmanned aerial vehicles) can take off and land. This ship can be civilian or military. In addition to drone carriers for unmanned aerial Vehicles, there are also others for unmanned underwater vehicles and unmanned surface vehicles.

Contents

As a naval vessel, a drone carrier is capable of launching and picking up combat drones without the need for large and expensive aircraft carriers .

In March 2013, DARPA began efforts to develop a fleet of small naval vessels capable of launching and retrieving combat drones without the need for large and expensive aircraft carriers. [1] In the UK the UXV Combatant, which would have been a ship dedicated to UCAVs, was proposed for the Royal Navy. [2]

In November 2014, US DoD made an open request for ideas on how to build an airborne aircraft carrier that can launch and retrieve drones using existing military aircraft such as the B-1B, B-52 or C-130. [3]

Developmental history

Turkey

Bayraktar Kizilelma carrier-capable drone on the deck of TCG Anadolu (L-400). Bayraktar Kizilelma on the deck of TCG Anadolu (L-400) - 2.jpg
Bayraktar Kızılelma carrier-capable drone on the deck of TCG Anadolu (L-400).

In February 2021, President of the Turkish Presidency of Defense Industries (SSB) Ismail Demir made public a new type of UAV being developed by Baykar that is planned to be stationed on Turkey's first amphibious assault ship, TCG Anadolu. [4] The new aircraft Baykar Bayraktar TB3 being developed is a naval version of the Bayraktar TB2 equipped with a local engine developed by TEI. [5] According to the initial plans, the ship was expected to be equipped with F-35B fighter jets, but following the removal of Turkey from the procurement program, the vessel entered into a modification process to be able to accommodate UAVs. Mr. Demir stated that between 30 and 50 folding-winged Bayraktar TB3 UAVs will be able to land and take off using the deck of Anadolu. [6] [7]

On 19 November 2024, Baykar Bayraktar TB3 UAV successfully landed and took-off from TCG Anadolu. [8] It was the first time a fixed-wing unmanned aircraft of this size and class had successfully landed on a short-runway landing helicopter dock. [9]

China

On May 18, 2022, the first Chinese unmanned drone carrier named Zhuhai Cloud ("Zhu Hai Yun ") was launched in Guangzhou, Guangdong Province in China, intended to advance marine research and economics. [10] [11] In May 2024, a possible drone carrier, with a catamaran layout and low flight deck, was spotted in the Jiangsu Dayang Marine Shipyards. [12]

Iran

Iran is also trying to build a drone carrier (named Shahid Bagheri) with an 180m long flight deck by converting a container ship. Its reported that several kinds of drones and helicopters can takeoff from and land on the said carrier. It will also carry several anti-ship and anti-air missiles for protection. Shahid Bagheri can also carry 30 Ashura class missile speedboats with itself. [13] [14] [15]

Portugal

Portuguese navy plans, for the second half of 2026, [16] to deliver the NRP D. João II, a platform ship capable of operating aerial, surface and underwater drones, as well as medium (Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk) and heavy (EH101 Merlin) helicopters of the Portuguese air force. [17]

See also

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References

  1. ↑ "Darpa looks to use small ships as drone bases". BBC. 4 March 2013. Archived from the original on 2013-03-04. Retrieved 4 March 2013.
  2. ↑ "Warships of Tomorrow". www.popsci.com. Popular Science. 15 February 2008.
  3. ↑ Lendon, Brad (11 November 2014). "Pentagon wants ideas for flying aircraft carrier". CNN. Archived from the original on 2016-10-05. Retrieved 2016-10-04.
  4. ↑ SABAH, DAILY (2021-03-25). "Turkey's TCG Anadolu to allow drones to land, takeoff in global 1st". Daily Sabah. Retrieved 2021-05-11.
  5. ↑ AA, DAILY SABAH WITH (2020-10-30). "Local engines to power Turkey's cutting-edge combat drones". Daily Sabah. Retrieved 2021-05-11.
  6. ↑ Ozberk, Tayfun (2021-04-29). "Turkey plans to deploy attack drones from its amphibious assault ship". Defense News. Retrieved 2021-05-11.
  7. ↑ Axe, David. "Behold The Turkish Navy's Drone Aircraft Carrier". Forbes. Retrieved 2021-05-11.
  8. ↑ Trevithick, Joseph (2024-11-19). "TB3 Operates From Turkey's 'Drone Carrier' Amphibious Assault Ship For The First Time". The War Zone. Retrieved 2024-11-19.
  9. ↑ Ozberk, Tayfun (2024-11-19). "Bayraktar TB3 Takes off and land aboard Turkish carrier". Naval News. Retrieved 2024-11-20.
  10. ↑ Huang, Kristin (19 May 2022). "Does China's new drone mother ship have potential as a military vessel?". The Maritime Executive. Archived from the original on 18 July 2022. Retrieved 12 August 2022.
  11. ↑ "CSSC Launches World's First "Drone Carrier"". The Maritime Executive. 19 May 2022. Retrieved 12 August 2022.
  12. ↑ Kesteloo, Haye (15 May 2024). "China's Secretive New Drone Carrier: The World's First". dronexl.co. Retrieved 2024-10-07.
  13. ↑ "H I Sutton - Covert Shores". www.hisutton.com. Retrieved 2023-07-03.
  14. ↑ "خبرگزاری فارس - سردار تنگسیری: ناو پهپادبر شهید باقری به‌زودی رونمایی می‌شود/ حضور شناورهای سپاه در آب‌های دوردست". خبرگزاری فارس. 2023-02-23. Retrieved 2023-07-03.
  15. ↑ Iddon, Paul. "Turkey And Iran Are Commissioning Unique Drone Carriers". Forbes. Retrieved 2023-07-03.
  16. ↑ "Delivery forecast NRP D. João II" (in Portuguese). marinha.pt. 11 November 2023. Retrieved 23 July 2024.
  17. ↑ "Air capabilities NRP D. João II slide nº6" (PDF) (in Portuguese). marinha.pt. Retrieved 23 July 2024.
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