A First in 5G-Supported Robotic Surgery Aboard TCG Anadolu

As part of TEKNOFEST Mavi Vatan, Turkcell established a 5G-supported healthcare communication infrastructure between TCG Anadolu, located at Gölcük Naval Port, and Kocaeli University. In the application, which marked the first time in Türkiye that network slicing technology was used for healthcare technologies on a live network, high-quality video and audio from the Da Vinci robotic surgery system were transmitted in real time over 5G to specialist physicians at Kocaeli University.

Turkcell demonstrated the low-latency, high-speed and reliable connectivity capacity of 5G technology through an advanced application in the field of healthcare. In the application carried out within the scope of TEKNOFEST Mavi Vatan, a robotic surgery procedure conducted aboard TCG Anadolu, which belongs to the Naval Forces, was monitored in real time by specialist physicians at Kocaeli University via Turkcell's 5G infrastructure.

Thanks to the system, specialist physicians at the university were able to provide instant guidance to the physician on duty aboard the ship during the operation. This created an infrastructure enabling a surgeon qualified to operate the Da Vinci robotic surgery system to carry out operations requiring advanced expertise by receiving live support and consultation from remote specialists.

Network slicing application for healthcare technologies on live network
One of the standout technological elements of the application was network slicing technology.

During the operation, high-quality video and audio obtained from the Da Vinci robotic surgery system were transmitted to Kocaeli University via network slicing technology activated on Turkcell's 5G infrastructure and Turkcell 5G Superbox devices.

Thanks to network slicing, a high-quality and secure connection, separated from general internet traffic, was established between the robotic surgery system and the university within the 5G network.

Turkcell stated that with this application, it became the first operator to use network slicing technology for healthcare technologies on a live network. Thanks to the technology, an infrastructure was provided that prioritizes connection quality and continuity in the transmission of critical health data.

The live broadcast of the application was also shared with viewers via the TEKNOFEST main screen at Gölcük Shipyard.

TCG Anadolu gains robotic surgery infrastructure
The 5G infrastructure that was established also strengthened TCG Anadolu's technological capacity for robotic surgery applications with remote specialist support.

With the application carried out by Turkcell, TCG Anadolu became the first and only military ship among Mediterranean coastal countries to possess robotic surgery infrastructure.

This application stands out for revealing new possibilities for the use of advanced health technologies not only in fixed health centers but also on mobile and marine platforms.

In May, Turkcell had also established a healthcare communication infrastructure over 5G technology between Muş State Hospital and İstanbul University Faculty of Medicine, enabling an operation carried out in Muş to be followed and supported by specialist physicians in İstanbul from a distance of approximately 1,500 kilometers.

Dr. Ali Taha Koç: “With 5G, distance is no longer an obstacle”
Speaking at the application carried out within the scope of TEKNOFEST Mavi Vatan, Turkcell CEO Dr. Ali Taha Koç drew attention to the potential of 5G in the field of healthcare, stating the following:

“We are proud to add a new one to the health bridge we established between İstanbul and Muş in May, this time aboard TCG Anadolu. Both examples show that with 5G, distance is no longer an obstacle. Within the scope of this project, we implemented a special network slicing for the healthcare sector. Turkcell became the first operator to use this technology on a live network in 5G. In this way, we provided a high-speed and secure connection independent of general internet traffic.”

Koç continued his remarks by noting that 5G should be evaluated together with different technologies:

“The real power of 5G lies in its ability to bring needed expertise anywhere, without distance limitations. At Turkcell, we consider 5G together with our data centers, cloud services, cybersecurity solutions and artificial intelligence capabilities. Our priority is to increase the share of domestic products, software and solutions at every layer of 5G. We believe that this application we have brought to life is one of the field-level counterparts of our country's technology vision.”

Koç thanked the Ministry of National Defence, the Turkish Technology Team Foundation, the Gölcük Shipyard Command, Kocaeli University, physicians and Turkcell teams for their contributions to bringing the application to life.

5G strengthens the infrastructure of critical healthcare applications
Features of 5G technology such as high data transmission capacity, low latency and the ability to manage network resources according to different usage scenarios are paving the way for new applications in areas such as remote specialist support, real-time video transmission and communication infrastructure for robotic systems in healthcare technologies.

The application carried out aboard TCG Anadolu stands out for demonstrating the integration of telecommunications infrastructure with advanced healthcare technologies.

Technology and youth meet at Mavi Vatan
Held between August 20-23 as part of TEKNOFEST 2026, TEKNOFEST Mavi Vatan brings Türkiye's maritime defence capacity and technological competencies together with young people.

Organized under the main leadership of the Ministry of National Defence and the Turkish Technology Team Foundation (T3 Foundation) and hosted by the Gölcük Shipyard Command, the event brings together maritime affairs, underwater technologies, the defence industry and domestic-national technology solutions.

Turkcell's 5G-supported robotic surgery application carried out aboard TCG Anadolu was brought onto the technology agenda within the scope of the event as one of the examples demonstrating the potential use of 5G technology in critical fields requiring high precision.