Turkish defence electronics manufacturer HAVELSAN has completed the integration of its ADVENT Combat Management System (CMS) and FleetStar Ship Data Distribution System (SDDS) on TCG Anadolu (L-400), Türkiye’s largest naval vessel. According to a statement by HAVELSAN, the integration was completed ahead of NATO’s Steadfast Dart 2026 exercise and has operationally validated the company’s network-centric command-and-control (C2) architecture on a frontline platform.
A key achievement of the integration, per HAVELSAN, was the successful verification of bi-directional data exchange between ADVENT CMS and the Bayraktar TB3 unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV). The link enables real-time transmission of imagery and mission data from the TB3 directly to TCG Anadolu’s combat management system. As C4Defence reported, the TB3 has thus evolved from an external data source into an organic sensor and weapon system connected directly to ADVENT CMS.
HAVELSAN described ADVENT CMS as the core C2 element of the warship, integrating radar, sonar, weapon systems, and electronic warfare (EW) assets under a unified architecture. FleetStar serves as the vessel’s ‘nervous system’ – distributing sensor data to all relevant subsystems in real time. The company noted that ADVENT CMS also calculates the relative position and approach geometry of the UCAV with respect to the ship, contributing to safe and coordinated flight operations.
Network-Centric Task Group Operations
HAVELSAN stated that the network-centric architecture of ADVENT CMS allows data obtained from the TB3 to be shared not only with TCG Anadolu but also with other naval assets within a task group. In effect, all participating platforms can operate from a synchronised tactical picture, strengthening inter-platform coordination and interoperability.
This is a notable step. As TURDEF noted, the TB3’s integration with ADVENT is critical for realising the full potential of the UCAV in supporting amphibious operations and maritime surveillance from TCG Anadolu. The TB3’s operational participation in Steadfast Dart 2026 – where it demonstrated maritime strike and automatic takeoff and landing capabilities under harsh Baltic weather – further validated the system. According to Daily Sabah, military personnel from participating NATO countries praised the TB3’s performance during the exercise.
SANCAR AUSV and the Expanding Unmanned Maritime Domain
The ADVENT CMS integration on TCG Anadolu comes alongside the commissioning of the SANCAR Armed Unmanned Surface Vehicle (AUSV). As reported by Daily Sabah, the SANCAR was formally inducted into the Turkish Naval Forces Command’s inventory at a ceremony on 24 February at the HAVELSAN Technology Campus in Ankara, attended by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Minister of National Defence Yaşar Güler.
Developed by HAVELSAN in cooperation with Yonca Shipyard, the SANCAR is the first Turkish AUSV to be fully integrated with ADVENT ROTA – a C2 and mission management software variant that extends the ADVENT architecture to unmanned platforms. HAVELSAN General Manager Dr Mehmet Akif Nacar stated that the SANCAR hosts five indigenous HAVELSAN solutions, including ADVENT ROTA, the SUBSTAR ship data distribution system, and the BLUEVISION autonomous navigation system.
The SANCAR can operate independently or as part of a swarm architecture. According to Daily Sabah, it is differentiated by its mine countermeasure capability and has been engineered to deploy from next-generation minehunter ships.
Notes & Comments
HAVELSAN’s ADVENT CMS has matured considerably. Originally deployed on the TCG Kınalıada Ada-class corvette, it has since been contracted for TCG Anadolu, TCG Ufuk (TVEG), TCG Derya (DIMDEG), and Barbaros-class frigate modernisations, according to Defence Turkey. Dr Nacar noted at the SANCAR ceremony that ADVENT has become a brand exported to four continents – including to the Indonesian Navy’s KRI Belati-622 fast attack craft.
The bi-directional link with the TB3 demonstrates that Türkiye can close the sensor-to-shooter loop between an unmanned aerial platform and a capital ship’s CMS using entirely indigenous solutions. For prospective export customers, this is a compelling capability.
That said, the operational validation ahead of Steadfast Dart 2026 is an initial step. The true test will come under multi-national exercise conditions, where interoperability with allied tactical data links will be assessed under pressure. One can see Türkiye positioning TCG Anadolu and its associated systems as a showcase for the country’s growing network-centric warfare capabilities.
Looking ahead, the combination of ADVENT CMS, FleetStar, the TB3 integration, and the SANCAR AUSV with ADVENT ROTA suggests HAVELSAN is working towards a comprehensive manned-unmanned teaming (MUM-T) architecture for naval operations. If Türkiye can demonstrate this at scale – across a task group of surface combatants, UCAVs, and AUSVs under a common C2 architecture – it could position itself as a leading supplier of integrated naval combat systems for emerging navies.
