Select units of the Turkish navy, including its multipurpose amphibious assault ship, were set for a grandiose parade along Istanbul's shoreline on Sunday afternoon as part of the "Teknofest Blue Homeland" event, showcasing Türkiye's naval and maritime capabilities, Daily Sabah reports.Participating ships include the flagship TCG Anadolu, TCG Savarona and the TCG Hızirreis submarine, the event organizers said.
They are scheduled to sail from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. local time, beginning at the Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge and passing through Sarıyer, Tarabya, Emirgan, Kanlıca, Rumeli Hisarı, Kandilli, Bebek and Ortaköy, before reaching Dolmabahçe Palace via the July 15 Martyrs Bridge, where President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan saluted the fleet.
The parade will then continue along the coasts of Moda, Caddebostan and Maltepe.
Teknofest Blue Homeland activities will take place on Aug. 30-31 at the Istanbul Naval Shipyard Command.
The program will include naval ship model exhibitions, virtual reality experience zones, demonstrations by SAT and SAS commandos, boat races and a ship design workshop.
Teknofest, as Türkiye's premier technology and aerospace gathering, is organizing a special event aimed at carrying the vision of the National Technology Initiative from land to the sea.
The Blue Homeland event, focusing on maritime and underwater technologies, is free of charge and would feature several competitions such as "Unmanned Underwater Systems Competition," "the Underwater Rocket Competition" and the "Unmanned Marine Vehicle Competition."
In addition, it will offer visitors the chance to explore the Turkish navy’s flagship vessels, such as TCG Anadolu and TCG Piri Reis, participate in competitions aimed at preserving maritime culture, visit the "Turkish Maritime History Time Tunnel" showcasing maritime heritage and attend various conferences and exhibitions on maritime and defense industries.
"Blue Homeland" is the name of a doctrine conceived by two former Turkish naval officers, encompassing Türkiye’s maritime jurisdictions, exclusive economic zone and continental shelf in line with United Nations resolutions.
In a video shared by Teknofest on Türkiye's new social media platform, Next Sosyal, titled "We Are Starting," the famed Bayraktar drones, produced by the defense giant Baykar, were seen sitting on the TCG Anadolu ahead of the event.
One of the notable participants in Sunday's transition is also the Savarona yacht, the spiritual legacy of the founder of the modern Turkish republic, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.
In a magnificent parade attended by distinguished platforms, the Savarona yacht will salute Istanbul alongside national ships of the Turkish Naval Forces. The 13 university students participating in this parade boarded the yacht in coast guard boats at a pier in Sarıyer, an Anadolu Agency (AA) report said.
The students were briefed on the history of the TCG Savarona, its restoration process, other national ships, and the parade scheduled to take place on the Bosporus. The students also watched the parade practice sessions.
"It's a great opportunity for us to have this legacy, a legacy bequeathed to us by Atatürk, renovated and presented to us," said Tayfun Işıkelekoğlu, a student at Istanbul Technical University (ITÜ).
Over the past two decades, Türkiye has expanded its domestic defense industry by developing a range of air, land and naval platforms. While its defense sector has been recognized primarily by drones, the country has also advanced its communications technologies and naval capabilities by developing submarines, MILGEM warships, and commissioning its first amphibious assault ship, TCG Anadolu.
With events like Teknofest, these domestic platforms and products were showcased in major cities in Türkiye, including the capital Ankara, Izmir, Adana and Istanbul. At the same time, Teknofest was held once in each of Azerbaijan and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC).
Stating that a nine-piece convoy will pass through the Bosporus, T3 Foundation Board of Trustees Chairperson Selçuk Bayraktar said, "We will explain to the society what the Blue Homeland is."
"We are currently on the Teknofest Blue Homeland passage. We are on the TCG Anadolu. We have a national frigate. We have a submarine. It will be a convoy featuring the distinguished works of our navy," Bayraktar was quoted as saying by broadcaster CNN TÜRK.
He also noted that the event is being organized as part of the Aug. 30, Victory Day celebration.
"An event with competitions is also being held as part of the Teknofest Blue Homeland. The Bosporus pass will take place shortly thereafter. The ships will (then) go to Istanbul Shipyard," he added.
"We are waiting for our entire nation," Bayraktar also said, reiterating that they will be open to visitors from Aug. 30 to Aug. 31.
