NATO Deploys TCG Anadolu to Latvia Under Eastern Sentry

NATO Allied Joint Force Command Brunssum confirmed on 20 February 2026 that Türkiye’s drone carrier TCG Anadolu is deploying toward Latvia’s coast as part of Operation Eastern Sentry, placing the vessel under NATO Air Command authority.

The move comes amid sustained concerns over repeated airspace violations attributed to Russia along NATO’s eastern frontier.

Strategic Maritime Node in the Baltic

Operating off Latvia, Anadolu will function as a forward maritime air-surveillance and air-defense platform. Designed as the world’s first dedicated UAV-focused amphibious assault ship, the 27,000-ton vessel combines a full-length flight deck, advanced command facilities and amphibious capabilities.

Though the NATO statement focused on the carrier itself, Anadolu leads a broader Turkish task group previously engaged in NATO operations from the Mediterranean to the Baltic Sea. In practical terms, the ship acts as a mobile command-and-control hub capable of integrating into NATO’s Integrated Air and Missile Defence architecture.

Layered Escort and Air-Defense Capabilities

Within the task group, TCG Istanbul provides extended-range air-defense and sensor coverage through its 3D air-search radar and vertical launching system configured for surface-to-air missiles.

TCG Oruçreis, a modernized Barbaros-class frigate, contributes additional area air-defense and surveillance capacity.

Meanwhile, fleet replenishment ship TCG Derya supports sustained operations at sea while contributing surveillance inputs to the shared tactical picture.

Together, the formation creates a distributed surveillance and layered defense network capable of prolonged deployment in contested Baltic waters.

UAV Wing Expands NATO’s Reach

Anadolu’s decisive contribution lies in its unmanned air wing, particularly the carrier-capable Bayraktar TB3. With more than 24 hours of endurance, the TB3 can conduct intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), target designation and precision strike missions.

Operating under NATO AIRCOM authority, TB3 drones can patrol likely approach corridors used by Russian aircraft or unmanned systems transiting between Kaliningrad and mainland Russia. Data from the ship’s SMART-S Mk.2 3D radar and infrared tracking systems are fused into a recognized air and surface picture, shared in real time with NATO AWACS aircraft, Baltic Air Policing fighters and ground-based air-defense units.

This capability effectively extends NATO’s radar and electro-optical horizon over the Baltic Sea, enhancing early detection, classification and potential engagement of aerial threats.

Responding to Hybrid Pressure

Operation Eastern Sentry was designed to address persistent low-altitude intrusions and drone incursions affecting Polish and Baltic airspace. By deploying a maritime UAV carrier, NATO gains a flexible asset able to shift patrol areas rapidly and maintain continuous ISR coverage beyond the limitations of land-based radars.

The deployment also carries political weight. Positioning a Turkish naval platform off Latvia underscores the Alliance’s collective defense principle, signaling that the security of the Baltic states is a shared responsibility among all NATO members.

A Doctrinal Shift in Air Defense

The assignment of Anadolu to an air-surveillance and defense role marks a qualitative evolution in NATO’s posture. Rather than relying solely on traditional surface combatants and fighter aircraft, the Alliance is integrating unmanned naval aviation directly into its eastern deterrence framework.

In an environment shaped by hybrid tactics and persistent airspace challenges, the use of a drone carrier as a floating air-defense node reflects NATO’s broader effort to adapt technologically and operationally to emerging threats along its most exposed flank.