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Turkey recently launched a major program to modernize its armed forces for a provisional budget of $ 150 billion over 25 years. In the framework of this program, of which one of the latest sections is known as Force 2014, the domestic industry plays an increasingly prominent role.

In 1952, Turkey joined NATO with armed forces that in terms of numbers were second only to the United States among the members of the Atlantic Alliance. The Türk Silahlı Kuvvetleri included no fewer than 510,000 men and women, to which could be added almost 280,000 Jandarma, the Turkish Gendarmerie entired composed of the armed forces with equivalent status to the land forces (Türk Kara Kuvvetleri), the Navy (Türk Deniz Kuvvetleri) and the Air Force (Türk Hava Kuvvetleri).

Although Turkey has always done its “duty” as a member of NATO and ally of the United States, Ankara has always prioritised its economic and geopolitical interests in order to create a clear area of influence that includes part of the former Ottoman Empire, from Egypt to the Middle East, with an eye to the Persian Gulf and South East Asia. Reforms voted by Parliament in July 2003, after Recep Tayyip Erdoğan came to power, have reduced the role of the army in politics, but the military have maintained an influence on every level, including social, as guarantors of secularism in particular, and on economic matters through dozens of military-industrial style holding companies, operating with tens of thousands of employees, not only in the field of defense but also in a range of sectors from agribusiness to insurance, and including public works and tourism.

In reality, despite the political changes of the past decade, with the dominant presence of the AKP (Adalet ve Kalkinma Partisi or the Party for Justice and Development), the center-right moderate Islamist partyg, the military has scarcely lost influence. This to the point that the vast modernization program of the Armed Forces, launched in 1997,

T-122 rocket launcher in service in the Turkish Army how change the major of it is park self conduct or MLRS.

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has largely been maintained, even though it was scaled back somewhat for budgetary reasons, paving the way for the current Force 2014 plan.

But it’s also true that the skills developed in recent years by the Turkish industry employed in the modernization of the national defense, which accounts for around 28% of the budget allocated to defense, fits perfectly with the new military-industrial policy of Ankara, which aims to reduce its dependence on foreign countries, the United States and Israel in particular, while at the same time looking increasingly to export markets. A strategy that has paid off: in 2012, the Turkish military industry made $4.3 billion in sales, with exports amounting to $1.3 billion : a jump of nearly 35% in the space of a year. The goal now is to reach 2 billion for 2016-2017.

Taking care of the Land Forces

A country rooted in its “land,” Turkey has always given great importance to the Land Forces, which with 390,000 men and women is the second largest force by size among NATO member countries after the United States. This is why the weapons systems, materials and equipment involved in the modernization programs of the Türk Kara Kuvvetleri are many and diverse, ranging

from assault rifles to battle tanks, and including the systems of individual ballistic protection and heavy engineering equipment.

Just as in the naval and aviation sectors, as we will see later, the national defense industry is heavily involved in the effort to modernize the land component of the Turkish armed forces. The development of the Altay tank is an emblematic example, named after General Fahrettin Altay, hero of the Turkish War of Independence (May 1919 - October 1922), who once commanded the 5th Cavalry Corps. Derived from the MITÜP program (Milli Tank Üretimi Projesi national

tank manufacturing project), started in the ‘90s, this third generation tank is the product of a joint venture between Turkish company Otokar and the South Korean group Hyundai Rotem, with German assistance.

The South Korean contribution to this program is based on the experience gained by Hyundai Rotem with the development of its K-2 Black Panther tank, while the Germans (who in the ‘80s produced the Leopard 1A3 for Turkey, increasingly used the A5 standard, and then sold some 300 second hand Leopard 2A4s between 2006 and 2010), provide the turbo diesel engine MTU 1500 hp powering the Altay and the gun Rheinmetall 120/55 mm produced under license by MKEK (Makina ve Kimya Endüstrisi Kurumu). The Turkish contribution from Otokar is responsible for providing, in particular, the combat system and fire control derived from Volkan, developed in 2002 by Aselsan with Israeli cooperation in the modernization program Leopard and M-60A1 (“Sabra” standard), the communications system and hydropneumatic suspensions. The Altay program, which has been awarded $500 million for the development and production of four prototypes, will deliver a first batch of 250 units to the Turkish army from 2016.

The new thank Altay built with cooperation between the Turk OTOKAR and the South Korean HYANDAI Rotem with the German assistance.

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Need has been expressed for a thousand vehicles to eventually replace 2,300 M-48 and M-60 tanks currently in service or held in reserve. In fact, Ankara wants to keep only a thousand modernized Leopard (Next Generation Aselsan package) and M-60T (“Sabra”

Israel Military Industries package).

Regarding the VCI / ATV tracked vehicles, the Türk Kara Kuvvetleri has already commissioned an armored vehicle made by FNSS, a joint venture established in 1988 between Nurol Holding and BAE Systems, to complete the development of a new family of armored vehicles. It is for the accuracy of the ACV-300, manufactured since 1992 in several versions for the Turkish army and the export market (notably Malaysia

and the United Arab Emirates, with respectively 250 and 136 units). The basic versions of the ACV-300, of which more than 1,680 are in service in the Turkish army, are the ACV-AAPC troop transport, the VCI ACV-AIFV equipped with a 25 mm turret, and the AVC-ATV with TOW anti-tank missiles.

After renewing its armored mechanized component, while upgrading part of its M-113 fleet in order to keep them in service until 2020, the Turkish army is engaged today in the same approach in terms of its light-medium wheeled armored fleet, still using its domestic industry with always, Otokar and FNSS in particular, who have developed and implemented different models. Starting with the FNSS Pars, a VTT/VCI version of 6x6 and 8x8, of which one thousand copies were ordered by the Türk Kara Kuvvetleri as well as 50 amphibious versions by the Marine Infantry Corps attached to the Türk Deniz Kuvvetleri (257 vehicles were also ordered by Malaysia as part of an estimated

$559 million contract). As far as light armored 4x4s, the Turkish military, who expressed a need for 2,700 new armored tactical vehicles and/or

protection of a lower mass range of 8-10 tonnes in combat mode, they have opted for Kobra made by Otokar, derived from the American HMMWV “ Humvee” and ordered more than 1200 units (with first delivery from 1997) and for Akrep (scorpion), an all-terrain protected vehicle derived from the Land Rover Defender 110, produced under license by Otokar (more than 10 000 copies produced and widely exported around the world), including a reconnaissance/special operations version, called Engerek (viper), of which more than 500 units have been ordered.

In 2009, to face new asymmetrical threats, the Türk Kara Kuvvetleri ordered 468 of the 4x4 MRAP Kirpi (hedgehog) vehicles, produced since 2010 by BMC Izmir, with the assistance of Israeli company Hatehof. These devices are intended essentially to replace the Russian BTR-60/80, purchased in the 90s, and the Dragoon, derived from the Cadillac Cage Commando V-150. Recently, the Turkish military has also expressed a need for 336 NBC vehicles. For this contract, two Turkish competitors are vying against each other: 6x6 Edjer (dragon) of Nurol Makina, of which 26 units in the standard The Pars of FNSS available in version 6x6 and 8x8 have been ordered

by the Turkish Army around 1000 copy.

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troop transport version were sold to Georgia in 2007, and Otokar’s 6x6 ARMA, which is also available in 8x8. During the past decade, the Türk Kara Kuvvetleri also renewed their fleet of tactical support vehciles, with different models produced locally under licences as Unimog, MAN and Mercedes, or directly produced by BMC. Among the newcomers, the protected platform Vuran of BMC, the 4x4 MRAP Kale and the Kaya Unimog chassis of Otokar and the AZMIN of FNSS, a special amphibious engineer vehicle, the first copy of the twelve ordered was delivered in January 2013.

Regarding weapons systems, the Turkish artillery renewed much of its motor park with the commissioning of 248 howitzers of 155/52 mm, the K-9 Firtina (storm) of South Korean origin, ordered in 2001 in a $1.2 billion contract and delivered between 2004 and 2011. These self-propelled artillery were used in Kurdistan against the PKK and in retaliation against Syria after shots against Turkish territory in October 2012.

In terms of parts and towed rocket launchers, the Türk Kara Kuvvetleri continue their development program of introducing howitzers of 155/52 mm Panter, produced in Turkey, and the local version manufactured under license from Chinese multiple rocket launchers WS-1 service 302 mm. The national program Toros (bull) for the introduction of a new system of rocket launchers of 230 and 260 mm seems, however, to proceed more slowly.

The modernization programs of antitank systems (TOW, MILAN, Cobra, Hellfire, etc..) are also well underway, notably with the acquisition of new Western systems such as MBDA‘s Eryx in a new contract signed in 2012 for 632 launchers, or the Russian Kornet E (AT-14 Spriggan in NATO code), with an order for 80 shooting stations and 800 missiles delivered from 2009 to 2010 (plus an option for 72 shooting stations and 720 additional missiles). Meanwhile, the domestic industry has several development programs for the Turkish army, such as Roketsan with its 160 mm antitank

The Turk version of the WS-1 320mm built by the Turkish with a license from the Chinese.

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system UMTAS / OMTAS. Recall that the same missile and purveyor has also developed a 70 mm laser-guided rocket, the Cirit (javelin), which is used notably by the gunship AT-129. Similar efforts are seen in the defense system for short-short range with the adoption of increasingly sophisticated versions of FIM-92 Stinger, made locally under license by Roketsan, including variations on mobile platforms, such as Zipkin by Land Rover/

Otokar, or Defender (quadruple launcher) and Atilgan on tracked M-113A2 (octuple launcher), made by Aselsan.

Several modernisation programs are also underway in the area of light infantry weapons, with the introduction of new models for the bulk of domestic production, like the MKEK T-50 in 5.56mm NATO, the modernized version of HK33E, and MPT Mehmetçik 1 and 2, 5.56 and 7.62 mm NATO, respectively derived from HK416 and 417, for which the serial production started in July 2012 (contract for the first batch of 85,000 copies), or the brand new 223 SAR developed by

Sarsilmaz. Similarly, in the area of long precision weapons, new models domestically manufactured have been introduced for precision antipersonnel shooting and/or anti-materiel, chambered in both reference calibers - 7.62 and 12.7 mm NATO.

Among them, the bolt-action Bora JNG-90 from MKEK in 7.62mm NATO caliber.

The Türk Kara Kuvvetleri are also engaged in an extensive program of renewal of their helicopter fleet; a program which went into high gear

K-9 Firtina 155/52 mm from the South Korean , ordered by the Turkish in 2001 in 248 copies.

The UMTAS antitank system 160mm developed by Roketsan.

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following the escalation of tension in Kurdistan and along the border with Syria. The T-129 Atak combat helicopter developed since 2007, Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) and AgustaWestland based on the Italian AW129 Mangusta will be the first to benefit. The initial program of $2.7 billion anticipates the completion of 51 units with an option for 40 more, to be delivered between 2013 and 2018, is in addition to an emergency order for 9 combat helicopters to be assembled on site for 2012-2013, with kits provided by the Italian manufacturer. Under this crash program, it is more specifically of nine improved T-129A, which will be successively brought to the standard T-129B Atak.

T-129 developped by Turkish Aerospace Indutries (TAI) and AgustaWestland in the base of the Italian AW129 Mangusta.

The program TUHP (Turkish Utility Helicopter Program) concerning the 109 helicopters was win by the T-70 a modify version of the

Blackhawk already in service in the Turkish Army.

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Another program, still with respect to rotorcraft, is experiencing a boost. It is called TUHP (Turkish Utility Helicopter Program) and concerns 109 helicopters to be manufactured locally under license.

It is a $4 billion program won by the T-70, a modified version of the Sikorsky Blackhawk, in service with the Turkish armed forces since 1990 in different models. Finally, the last but not least, in 2011, Türk Kara Kuvvetleri ordered six copies of C-47F Chinnok worth $400 million for their special operations forces, with deliveries scheduled for 2013 – 2014.

The naval programs

With a workforce of 55,000 men and women, Türk Deniz Kuvvetleri is the first naval power in the eastern Mediterranean, the Middle East and Black Sea, and the third largest in Europe in terms of the tons displacement of its fleet, with more than 260 000 tonnes. At sea, the Turkish Navy is now focusing on programs which always favour the domestic industry, on the basis of a program approved December 12, 2006.

The corvettes of class “Ada” are a symbol of the new policy: warships of 2 200 tonnes and 99 m long from the MILGEM program (Milli Gemi for national ship) launched in 1996, which included the manufacture of eight multi-mission and stealth units, developed locally by Istanbul Naval Shipyard and Aselsan, with German assistance from Blohm-Voss. The first unit, the corvette “Heybeliada”

(TCG F-511), was launched on 27 September 2008 and commissioned three years later to the day. The second, the “Buyukada” (TCG F-512) in September 2012 with commissioning expected in August 2013, while the third, the “Burgazada”

(TCG F-513), has been under construction since September 2011. Meanwhile, the development of four other improved MILGEM - or TF-1000 - continues on schedule. It is, in fact, four anti-air frigates (AAW), based on the “Ada” class, which will be armed with vertically launched medium range missiles.

The project for the large AAW units of the TF-2000 type, which would have involved the

Corvette TCG "Heybeliada"(F-511), class "Ada", built by Istanbul Naval Shipyard and Aselan with the Assistant of the German Blohm-Voss.

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domestic industry and a foreign partner, was revived in December 2012 after being temporarily shelved. The Turkish Navy now wants to put eight of these units of 7000 tonnes in service to replace, from 2020, frigates such as “Gaziantep,”

a former American “Oliver Hazard Perry” class.

The cost of this project is estimated at $3 billion.

Meanwhile, Turk Deniz Kuvvetleri, which also plans to modernize its MEKO-200 frigates (eight units), completed construction in 2011 of six German mine infantry of the class “Aydin” type

“Frankenthal”, and six missile patrol boats of the class “Kilic II,” derived from FAC/MS (Fast Attack Craft/Missile Boat) by Lürssen Werft, also made by the Turkish yards under German license.

As for submarines, the $2 billion program for the construction of six new units AIP Type 214TN HDW (Howaldiswrke-Deutsche Werft) continues

on schedule, in parallel with the modernization of four submarines of the “ Preveze “ class, the German Type 209T1/1400, which are also made on site. These, with four class “Gur” Type 209T2/1400, will replace six submarines of the

“Atilay” Type 209/1200 between 2015 and 2020.

The same modernization efforts are seen in the amphibious field to give the Turkish army a good projection capabilit. So far, this relies on five warships of the LST (Landing Ship Tank) type built in the 80s. Deliveries to Türk Deniz Kuvvetleri of eight LCT (Landing Crast Tank) warships of 1 200 tonnes started in 2011, while a contract was signed for the construction of two new LSTs, 132 m long, with a displacement of 7000 tons, capable of taking 350 soldiers, eight armored vehicles and a heavy helicopter. The program also included the

Frigate TCG Yavuz (F-240) one of 8 units MEKO 200TN are in service with the Navy how decide to modernized in a short term.

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construction of two LPD/LHD (Landing Platform Dock/Landing Helicopter Dock), with flight deck for the use of the future F-35B. Three projects are under study: the Italian Fincantieri (LPD/LHD 15-20 000 tonnes), the Spanish Navantia (a modified version of the “Juan Carlos II”) and the Turkish RKM (LHD 200 m long and 38 m wide, with configurable skyjump).

Programs for patrol and auxiliary units appear to comply with the schedule, including deliveries between 2010 and 2012, the four OPV (Offshore Patrol Vessel) Type “Comandanti” Class “Dost”

made locally under license Fincantieri (with an option for four others), and eight patrol class “Tuzla” to be made locally. Furthermore, on the basis of a series of contracts signed in 2011, Türk Deniz Kuvvetleri should rapdily start using two new refuelling ships including FRT (Fleet Replenishment Tanker) and three new support and rescue warships, including two SMRMoShip (Submarine Rescue Mother Ship) and one RTShip (Rescue Towing & Ship).

As for the Turkish Navy, it is involved in a major program for the commissioning of eight ATR 72-600 aircraft, ordered in 2005 as part of the

“MELTEM III” program. The delivery of two aircraft of the MUA (Maritime Utility Aircraft) version should take place this summer. The remaining six aircraft will be the ATR 72-600

MPA (Maritime Patrol Aircraft), all with Thales’

AMASCO mission system, notably with a tactical data link L16, a maritime surveillance radar, an electro-optical system, a magnetic anomaly detector (MAD), a sonobuoy launcher, light Mk 54 torpedoes (two arms, or one under each wing) for anti-submarine warfare, and a self-protection system (Radar Detector and missile decoys). The delivery of the first ATR 72-600 AF is scheduled for February 2017, the other five in 2018. These devices complement the maritime patrol aircraft CN235 MPA, also equipped with the AMASCO system ordered from Airbus Military through the

“MELTEM II” program. Four of the six Navy units were delivered in the first half of 2012, while the first three units for the Turkish Coast Guard were handed over on January 28. That’s not forgetting deliveries to Türk Deniz Kuvvetleri of 24 Sikorsky S-70B2 Seahawk anti-submarine helicopters in late 2011.

Combat aircraft, drones and ground-air missiles

With a workforce of more than 62,000 men and women, and some 700 aircraft of all types, the Turkish air force is the third largest NATO Air Force. In addition, it operates alongside significant air components attached to the Army, Navy and

internal security forces, including the police and coastguard. The aircraft in service, both fixed and rotary wing, are mainly produced in the aircraft factories of Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI), which, in the space of 30 years, has become a first rate manufacturer.

Established in 1984 to locally assemble

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