Turkish Armed Forces
The Turkish Armed Forces (TAF; Turkish: Türk Silahlı Kuvvetleri, TSK) are the military forces of the Republic of Turkey. The Turkish Armed Forces consist of the Land Forces, the Naval Forces and the Air Forces. The Chief of the General Staff is the Commander of the Armed Forces. In wartime, the Chief of the General Staff acts as the Commander-in-Chief on behalf of the President, who represents the Supreme Military Command of the TAF on behalf of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey.[9] Coordinating the military relations of the TAF with other NATO member states and friendly states is the responsibility of the General Staff.
The history of the Turkish Armed Forces began with its formation after the collapse of the Ottoman Empire. The Turkish military perceived itself as the guardian of Kemalism, the official state ideology, especially of its emphasis on secularism. After becoming a member of NATO in 1952, Turkey initiated a comprehensive modernization program for its armed forces. The Turkish Army sent 14,936 troops to fight in the Korean War alongside South Korea and NATO. Towards the end of the 1980s, a second restructuring process was initiated. The Turkish Armed Forces participate in an EU Battlegroup under the control of the European Council, the Italian-Romanian-Turkish Battlegroup. The TAF also contributes operational staff to the Eurocorps multinational army corps initiative of the EU and NATO.
The Turkish Armed Forces is the second largest standing military force in NATO, after the U.S. Armed Forces.[10] Turkey is one of five NATO member states which are part of the nuclear sharing policy of the alliance, together with Belgium, Germany, Italy, and the Netherlands.[11] A total of 50 U.S. B61 nuclear bombs are hosted at the Incirlik Air Base, the most of the five countries.[12]
Albania – 24 troops in , with 2 frigates.[59] An Albanian-Turkish military cooperation agreement was signed in 1992 that encompassed rebuilding Albania's Pasha Liman Base by Turkey alongside granted access for Turkish use.[60]
Pasha Liman Base
Azerbaijan – Buildings and structures in Gizil Sherg military town, and one terminal building located in the airfield in settlement.[61] An observation base was also built by Turkey in the Nagorno-Karabakh region after the 44-day 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war. The base was established in Aghdam under the name "Ceasefire Observation Center", and officially started to operate in January 2021 with 60 Turkish and Russian soldiers stationed at the base.[62]
Hacı Zeynalabdin
Bosnia and Herzegovina – Under EUROFOR 242 troops, previously under Implementation Force and Stabilisation Force in Bosnia and Herzegovina at Mehmet The Conqueror Barracks.[63][64]
Operation Althea
Iraq – Turkey has signed agreement with Iraq which includes allowing the Turkish army to pursue elements of the (PKK) in northern Iraq, with the permission of, and in coordination with the Federal Government of Iraq. It also includes opening two liaison offices between Baghdad and Ankara to exchange intelligence and security information between the two countries.[65][66] As of 2020, Turkey has a military base with 2,000 personnel in Bashiqa and Bamarni Air Base garrisoned with around 60 tanks, Armoured personnel carriers and one commando battalion.[67][68] Turkey has more than 40+ military and intelligence bases scattered all around Iraq, the most out of any country.[69] There are plans to build a new base in the Metina area of Duhok governorate in Iraqi Kurdistan Region as of April 2021.[70][71] In total, Turkey has stationed around 5,000 to 10,000 soldiers in Iraq.[72][73]
Kurdistan Workers' Party
Northern Cyprus – A total of 35,000 to 40,000 armed forces of the are currently in active duty Cyprus Turkish Peace Force Command.[73]
Republic of Turkey
Syria – Bases in , Al-Rai, Akhtarin, Afrin, Jindires, Rajo and Jarablus with at least 5,000 personnel in Euphrates Shield and Olive Branch regions. New bases were followed at south of Afrin canton in Atme and Darat Izza[81] There are 114 Turkish bases in Syria as of January 2022.[82] After operation Peace Spring, approximately 6,400 personnel are working around the Peace Spring region between Ras al-Ayn and Tell Abyad. 19 observation points are settled around Idlib and Aleppo Province.[83] Altogether, there are an estimated 10,500 Turkish soldiers and 250 tanks stationed in Syria. These numbers are constantly subject to modifications.[73]
Al-Bab
As of February 2021, Turkey has at least over 60,000+ military personnel stationed outside its territory.[53] The only military base stationed permanently abroad, regardless of the organizations that are members of Turkey, which has been temporarily holding troops several times abroad due to its responsibilities arising from many international political members, particularly NATO membership, is the Cyprus Turkish Peace Force Command. The military bases of the Turkish Armed Forces in Qatar, Syria,[54] Somalia[55] and Bashiqa, among an unknown amount of other bases internationally, are currently active. It was announced in 2017 that Turkey would start working on establishing a research base in Antarctica.[56]
According to a study conducted in England, Turkey has the largest deployment of international troops after the United States,[57] with an estimated strength of at least 60,000+ military personnel stationed outside of the borders of Turkey. This means that 1 in 6 of the active military troops of Turkey (which is estimated to be 355,200 in 2020)[58] are deployed outside of the borders of the country.[53]
Turkey currently has a military presence in the following countries;
Turkey additionally has a presence in the following countries through UN peacekeeping missions:
U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Giselle Wilz, NATO Headquarters Sarajevo commander, speaks with female officers of the Turkish Land Forces during a mentoring session at Camp Butmir, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Members of the Turkish Coy, assigned to KFOR Regional Command – East, as part of the NATO Forces, monitor the Administrative Boundary Line (ABL) in Eastern Kosovo.
U.S. and Turkish military forces conduct the third ground combined joint patrol inside the security mechanism area in northeast Syria.
A Turkish Special Forces Sniper engages long range targets at night with a with a Remington Mk 21 Precision Sniper Rifles at the International Specialty Training Center (ISTC) Alpine Sniper Course, in Hochfilzen training area, Austria.
TCG Barbaros (FF 244) and Burgazada (F 513) in the Mediterranean Sea.
An F4E Phantom II aircraft with the Turkish Air Force (Türk Hava Kuvvetleri) takes off from Third Air Force Base Konya, Turkey, during Exercise Anatolian Eagle.
A Turkish F-16 taking off from İzmir Çiğli Air Base - LTBL, Turkey.
Turkish Military Mission With Western Mediterranean Fleet. 9 April 1943, on Board HMS Nelson
Turkish officers visiting Soviet Moscow.
