Security and Defense
149 articles
Security and Defense
EYES ON LIBYA AGAIN
The TAF is participating in a US-led military exercise in Libya, where Turkey backed the Government of National Accord (GNA) in the west during the civil war. Meanwhile, attention has again focused on the plane crash in which the GNA Chief of Staff Muhammed Ali Ahmed Al Haddad and his delegation died near Ankara on Dec. 23, 2025.
Security and Defense
NO SIGN OF EXPLOSION ON CARGO PLANE CRASH IN GEORGIA
“It has been assessed that the life raft, having exited its housing, came into contact with the left tail-fuselage section of the aircraft, causing damage to the aircraft’s horizontal and vertical stabilizers, which may have led to the aircraft’s crash,” a Defense Ministry official said on the C-130 military aircraft that crashed on the Georgia-Azerbaijan border on Nov. 11, 2025.
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EXERCISE BLUE HOMELAND: AT THREE SEAS WITH 15,000 TROOPS
Blue Homeland-26, one of the Turkish Armed Forces’ most extensive exercises this year, was conducted from April 3 to 9 in the Black Sea, the Aegean Sea, and the Eastern Mediterranean, with the participation of 120 ships, 50 aircraft, and 15,000 personnel from the Naval, Land, and Air Force Commands, as well as the Coast Guard Command.
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STM UNVEILS LONG-RANGE KAMIKAZE UAV
While Iran is extensively using kamikaze UAVs in its attacks in the conflict with Israeli and US forces, STM (Defense Technologies Engineering and Trade Inc.), announced that it had conducted the first test flight of its new long-range kamikaze UAV.
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ROKETSAN UNVEILS ITS MOST POWERFUL BALLISTIC MISSILE
Turkey's most powerful ballistic missile made its public debut on April 7 — not through an official announcement, but through a presidential photo op at Roketsan's inauguration ceremony, with no details offered to guests or media.
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SIGNALS OF A MARRIAGE RENEWAL WITH NATO
Turkey shows signs of renewing its ties with its NATO alliance partners amid the ongoing Iran crisis. The renewal of vows follows a tempestuous period in its relations not only with the U.S. but also with NATO following the acquisition of the S-400 air defense system from Russia. Particularly over the past 20 years, facing U.S. CAATSA sanctions and Europe’s covert arms embargoes in the fight against the PKK, Turkey’s government and opposition have both questioned the value of NATO membership.
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RESURRECTION OF FOUR SEAS PROJECT
While Ankara is seeking to strengthen its ties with the Washington administration, U.S. Ambassador to Ankara and Special Envoy to Syria Thomas Barrack has dusted off an old project aimed at transforming Turkey and Syria into a hub for energy security as an alternative to the Persian Gulf, caught in the crossfire for a month.
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MILITARY HELICOPTER CRASHED IN QATAR WITH QUESTIONS UNANSWERED
A Qatari Air Force helicopter crashed into the sea, killing a Turkish air defense major, two Aselsan technicians, and four Qatari crew members. Questions remain unanswered, including the type of helicopter, the exact time when it crashed and the site of the crash.
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A SIGNATURE AND A DELAY IN THE EUROFIGHTER PROJECT
Following the signing of an agreement with the U.K. in Oct. 2025 to procure 40 Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets, the defense ministers of the two countries signed a contract for technical and logistical support regarding the maintenance and operation of these aircraft.
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SOM-J TO BEGIN MASS PRODUCTION
Following test firings on March 21, the SOM-J cruise missile is now ready to move into mass production.
Security and Defense
U.S.-MADE USV WASHES ASHORE ON BLACK SEA COAST
An unmanned surface vessel manufactured in the U.S. was found washed ashore in the Ünye district of Ordu, on the Black Sea coast, on March 21. An unmanned surface vessel (USV) of unknown origin struck the Altura, a Sierra Leone flagged tanker which is owned by a Turkish company, Pergamon Maritime, on March 26 in the Black Sea, 15 miles off the coast of the Bosphorus Strait.
Security and Defense
NATO TO ESTABLISH NEW HQ IN TURKEY
NATO has launched efforts to establish a second headquarters in Turkey, adding to the alliance’s presence and strengthening its posture against threats from the Middle East.