NEW COMMANDO BRIGADES TO BE ESTABLISHED
Turkey will assume command of NATO's Allied Reaction Force starting in 2028, and the TAF plans to increase the number of its commando brigades from 25 to 40 within the next three years.
Analysis
In-Depth Analysis
Smart, independent reporting on Turkey's politics, economy and foreign affairs.
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.
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.
IMPORTANCE OF KÜRECİK INCREASES
Iran destroyed U.S. long-range radar installations in Qatar and Jordan on Feb. 28 and March 7, increasing the importance of the Kürecik AN/TPY-2 radar station in Malatya province. Like the Adana İncirlik Air Base, NATO has placed the Malatya Kürecik Radar Station under the protection of its Patriot air defense system, another possible target for ballistic missiles launched from Iran.
TARGET IN TURKEY BECOMES A MATTER OF DEBATE
NATO announced that its assets shot down two ballistic missiles aimed at Turkey in a week, but Iran denied that they had targeted Turkey. Since the Defense Ministry and NATO did not provide information on which region of Iran the ballistic missiles were launched from, the route taken by the missiles and their target became a matter of debate.
NATO CONDEMNS IRAN AFTER MISSILE INTERCEPTED OVER TURKISH AIRSPACE
NATO promptly reacted by condemning Iran after a missile targeted the Turkish border, saying: “We condemn Iran’s targeting of Türkiye. NATO stands firmly with all Allies, including Türkiye.'
ANKARA EXPLORES COMMON GROUND WITH EU THROUGH DEFENSE RELATIONS
Seeking to capitalize on the rift in the NATO alliance between the U.S. and the EU, Ankara is seeking common ground with Europe through cooperation on military issues and the defense industry.
TURKEY JOINS NATO EXERCISE WITH 2,000 SOLDIERS
While the future of the NATO alliance is being debated due to the policies of U.S. President Donald Trump, the alliance is conducting its largest military exercise of the year in Germany, with the Turkish Armed Forces (TAF) participating with more than 2,000 soldiers.
ATHENS–ANKARA DEADLOCK: NO BREAKTHROUGH, BUT DIALOGUE REMAINS
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis met in Ankara on the 30th anniversary of the Kardak (Imia) crisis, serving as a reminder that the fundamental disagreements that nearly brought the two NATO allies to war 30 years ago remain unresolved.
EU DEALS WITH MERCOSUR AND INDIA DEEPEN TRADE ASYMMETRY FOR TURKEY
The European Union’s push to conclude free trade agreements (FTAs) is reshaping the economic landscape around its periphery. Chief among these is the long-negotiated EU–Mercosur Trade Agreement, alongside accelerating talks with India. While these agreements are formally bilateral between the EU and third parties, their implications extend well beyond signatories. For Turkey, which is bound to the EU through a customs union covering industrial goods, these deals carry direct consequences—despite Ankara not being a negotiating party.
WHEN ALLIANCES CRACK, TURKEY LOOKS ELSEWHERE
What happens if Donald Trump were to send Delta Force to “get” Greenland? Would it be the end of NATO, as Denmark’s prime minister suggested? While the validity of NATO’s Article 5 is questioned, allies feel they can no longer rely on U.S. nuclear protection. In times of great power competition mid-size regional powers tend to forge alliances to consolidate their security.
NATO TO PROCURE COMMUNICATIONS SOFTWARE FROM HAVELSAN
NATO will buy communications software from Havelsan, the Ankara-based defense IT provider.