With These Features, Our Tank Landing Ship TCG Sancaktar Is the World's Largest LST in Its Class

The Turkish Navy's TCG Sancaktar, one of its key assets, serves not only in military roles such as amphibious operations and mine laying but also as a hospital, logistics support, and evacuation vessel in disaster zones. The ship is currently on display at the TEKNOFEST Mavi Vatan event, which continues on its final day at the Gölcük Shipyard Command, showcasing Turkey's naval power, independence, and national defense capabilities. Commissioned into the Turkish Navy in 2018, the 139-meter-long and 19-meter-wide TCG Sancaktar was built entirely with domestic and national resources and equipped with the latest technology.

It holds the distinction of being the world's largest LST (Landing Ship Tank) in its class. TCG Sancaktar Commander Navy Captain Tolga Kestek expressed happiness at being at TEKNOFEST Mavi Vatan, saying meeting the public is a source of pride. "The tank landing ship is 139 meters long and 19 meters wide.

With these features, our tank landing ship TCG Sancaktar is the world's largest LST in its class. It was brought into our navy in 2018 and is a completely domestic and national ship. It is our source of pride and equipped with the latest technology," he said.

Kestek noted the ship can carry 20 main battle tanks, currently carries 20 tanks, and can also transport 27 Armored Amphibious Assault Vehicles (ZAHA) designed with domestic and national means. He mentioned that marines can be delivered to shore from distances exceeding 100 kilometers, "which provides the ship the ability to project power without being exposed to enemy fire from the shore. We also have helicopter operation capability.

We can conduct operations from the ship to the target with all helicopters in our navy and armed forces. This allows us to move our soldiers to the scene without any limits. Regarding non-operational activities, Kestek said: "In the major earthquakes in recent years, in the earthquakes in the southeast and Hatay region, the ship was converted into a hospital within 3 days, performed hospital duties, and provided health services to many of our citizens in the earthquake zone.

We can provide hospital services at Role-2 level. Role-2 level is a health service where all kinds of surgeries and patient care can be performed, and hospitalization is possible. Additionally, it provides the service of evacuating non-combatants from the incident area.

We can bring Turkish citizens and citizens of other countries from regions such as Lebanon and Libya to our homeland Turkey without any problems. Emphasizing the ship's logistical importance, Kestek stated: "Turkish soldiers serving anywhere in the world know that if TCG Sancaktar is in the region, we will have no logistical problems because TCG Sancaktar can carry the one-year material needs of a battalion-sized unit in a single trip. Our most recent missions in Somalia are an example of this.

With the trust and strength we receive from our people, we are always ready for duty. We are always by the side of our homeland and our nation. Meanwhile, children visiting TCG Sancaktar take photos with soldiers at a podium set up in an area prepared with the theme "Your message to the future, children, and then write their dreams and expectations for the future in a notebook.

The messages signed and left by the children will be preserved by TCG Sancaktar personnel for 20 years. Kestek said the crew sees themselves not as permanent owners but as custodians of TCG Sancaktar, noting the ship will be entrusted to children in the future. "We told the children, 'Where do you want to be in the future, where do you want to be in the future Navy, in the future Turkey?

Write your dreams, we will keep them for you for 20 years. Our children write what they want in the notebook and sign it. We will keep it for them for 20 years," he said.

Kestek explained that when the children grow up in 20 years, they can return to the ship and read the messages they left. "When they have a good job, they will come and read what they wrote here and learn how much they realized their dreams. We are carrying out this activity to convey a message to the future.

We did this activity on the ship to make our youth and children love our navy. Hanzade Yetimoğlu, a 10-year-old visitor, said she loves ships very much, adding: "I am very happy because our ships have always been comrades to our nation in war.