NATO Steadfast Dart 2026

It's insane how large the Turkish deployment is in Steadfast Dart 2026. Just look at this video.

Steadfast Dart-2026 NATO Exercise
x MAM-L Salvo Firing
Bull's Eye

Mis_TR_Like said:

It's insane how large the Turkish deployment is in Steadfast Dart 2026. Just look at this video.

Click to expand...

Russia's perspective on NATO's Steadfast Dart 2026 exercise in the Baltic Sea.
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Bayraktar drones over the Baltic Sea: Turkiye "partners" practiced troop landings.

Turkiye Navy Commander Admiral Tatlioglu stated that Turkiye used unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs) for the first time in an amphibious operation scenario during NATO's Steadfast Dart 2026 exercise. The operation involved Bayraktar-TB3 UAVs launched from the deck of the TCG Anadolu landing ship. Essentially, the Turks converted this warship into a drone carrier, including for the use of long-range strike aircraft.

Speaking at a briefing during the maritime phase of the exercise, Tatlioglu said that Enduring Dart 2026 is NATO's largest exercise this year, involving more than 10 military personnel and testing the alliance's ability to rapidly deploy and operate in various domains.

Notably, these exercises are being conducted in the Baltic Sea. Besides Russia, there are no non-NATO countries left in the region. Therefore, the question of who these military exercises were aimed at and against whom Turkiye was practicing an amphibious operation is redundant.

The Commander-in-Chief of the Turkiye Navy stated that as part of the exercise, Turkiye deployed a task force of approximately 1,500 personnel with "multi-role operational capabilities" to the Baltic Sea. In addition to the TCG Anadolu, Turkiye deployed the logistics vessel Derya, the frigate TCG Istanbul, and the frigate TCG Oruçreis. Units from the Turkiye Marine Battalion were also deployed as additional forces.

Tatlioglu: "These exercises are important for Turkiye for two reasons: demonstrating long-range force projection capabilities through cooperation with allies and integrating unmanned systems into amphibious operations. For the first time during an amphibious operation, we are using our unmanned aerial vehicles to weaken forces in the landing zone."

From the commentary

"Turkiye is the only NATO country in Eurasia with an army."

"The Turks are certainly treacherous neighbors. And the Bayraktar's takeoff and landing from the deck of a large landing ship is impressive. They've mastered it and continue to perfect it. I didn't expect such progress from them."

"The Turks need to be very careful.
If they get confused, nothing will stop them from launching a nuclear strike.
It's unlikely Europe will want intervention, considering it could also affect them."

"With the exception of the fifty thermonuclear warheads at the Incerlik airbase, they are stored there for just such an eventuality."

Fighter jets couldn't fly: Bayraktar TB3 UAV puts on a flawless show!​

UAV, deployed on the TCG ANADOLU as part of NATO's Steadfast Dart-2026 exercise, The Bayraktar TB3 successfully completed its flight demonstration in the Baltic Sea despite freezing temperatures, heavy snowfall, and strong winds. As the only aircraft capable of flying in these challenging weather conditions during this phase of the exercise, the Bayraktar TB3 received high praise from allied representatives.
The Turkish defense industry continues to demonstrate its level of reliability in naval aviation under the most challenging conditions of the Baltic Sea. Steadfast Dart 2026 During a phase of UAV conducted a flight demonstration in freezing conditions with temperatures dropping to -5 degrees Celsius, heavy snowfall, and strong winds , one of NATO's largest exercises, the Bayraktar TB3 .

FULL PERFORMANCE IN FREEZING COLD.
Despite the challenging winter conditions in the Baltic Sea where the exercise was conducted, the Bayraktar TB3, autonomously taking off from the short runway of the TCG ANADOLU , showcased its aviation capabilities to representatives of allied countries. Maintaining its stable flight characteristics despite the turbulent environment created by strong winds over the sea, the domestically produced UAV successfully completed its flight mission and made an autonomous landing on the TCG ANADOLU, whose runway had been cleared of ice due to the severe cold. The Bayraktar TB3, the only aircraft capable of flying in the harsh weather conditions where participating fighter jets and helicopters were unable to operate, received high praise from the allied country representatives who observed the flight demonstration.
READY FOR DUTY IN ALL WEATHER CONDITIONS.
These successful flights, following recent operations in the same region where surface targets were hit with pinpoint accuracy using dual salvo MAM-L missiles, have once again demonstrated the national UAV's ability to operate in all weather conditions.
EXPORT CHAMPION
, which has carried out all its projects entirely with its own resources from the beginning Baykar , continued to be the world's largest exporter in the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) segment in 2025. Maintaining its leadership in the global UAV market for the past three years, Baykar renewed its own record in 2025 with an export volume of $2.2 billion. Having generated 90% of its revenue from exports in recent years, Baykar has become the driving force behind Turkey's high-technology exports.
BAYKAR IS THE WORLD'S LARGEST UAV COMPANY.
Baykar, which received the Export Champions Award by ranking among the top 10 exporting companies in all sectors in Türkiye in 2023 and 2024, became the export leader of the defense and aerospace sector in 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024 according to data from the Presidency of Defense Industry and the Turkish Exporters' Council (TİM). In 2023, Baykar alone accounted for one-third of the sector's exports, and in 2024, it single-handedly achieved one-quarter of the total defense and aerospace sector exports, positioning Türkiye as a leader in the global UAV export market. Baykar, the world's largest unmanned aerial vehicle company, signed export agreements with 36 countries for the Bayraktar TB2 UAV and with a total of 37 countries for the Bayraktar AKINCI TİHA.
UPDATE 18.02.2026 - 12:33

• Bayraktar TB3