In a notable demonstration of naval diplomacy, the Turkish Navy’s Ada-class corvette TCG BÜYÜKADA (F-512) is scheduled to make a port call in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The Turkish Embassy in Sri Lanka has confirmed the vessel’s upcoming arrival.
During its stay in Colombo, the crew of TCG BÜYÜKADA is expected to engage in a series of professional exchanges and cooperative activities with personnel from the Sri Lankan Navy, fostering mutual understanding and strengthening maritime ties between the two nations.
Commissioned in 2013, TCG BÜYÜKADA is the second ship in the Turkish Navy’s Ada-class anti-submarine warfare (ASW) corvettes, developed under the MILGEM (National Ship) program. Designed and constructed at the Tuzla Naval Shipyard in Istanbul, the vessel is named after Büyükada, the largest of the Princes’ Islands in the Sea of Marmara. It stands as a symbol of Turkey’s expanding indigenous defense manufacturing capabilities.
As part of its 2024 deployment, TCG BÜYÜKADA’s visit to Sri Lanka served both ceremonial and strategic purposes. Beyond marking key diplomatic milestones, the port call also aims to highlight Turkey’s advancements in naval technology and maritime security, while reinforcing bilateral relations with nations along its route.
This visit is part of a broader effort by Turkey to enhance its strategic outreach across Asia, using naval diplomacy as a tool to cultivate deeper regional partnerships.
TCG BÜYÜKADA has previously played a central role in international engagements. Notably, during a 2015 three-month deployment, the corvette visited major ports in Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Pakistan, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Sudan, and Djibouti, and was involved in the evacuation of 55 Turkish citizens from conflict-stricken Yemen—a testament to its operational versatility and diplomatic value.
