Armed Forces

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The Turkish Armed Forces (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 TSK are the military force tasked with defending the Turkish homeland against threats and dangers originating from abroad. Their duties include maintaining and strengthening military power in a manner that provides deterrence, carrying out missions abroad in accordance with decisions of the National Assembly of Türkiye, and contributing to the maintenance of international peace. The Chief of the Defense Staff is the Commander of the Armed Forces. In wartime, the Chief of the Defense Staff acts as the Commander-in-Chief on behalf of the President, who represents the Supreme Military Command of the TSK on behalf of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey.


The Turkish Armed Forces consist of the Turkish Land Forces, the Turkish Naval Forces, and the Turkish Air Force. The final structure of the Turkish Armed Forces was established by Marshal Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. Following the defeat of the Ottoman Empire in World War I, the Allied Powers disbanded the Turkish armies and began the occupation of Anatolia. In response, the Turkish people began resisting the occupation in an irregular and regional manner under the name Kuvâ-yi Milliye (National Forces).

As the 9th Army Inspector, Mustafa Kemal Pasha landed in Samsun, initiated the Turkish War of Independence, and prioritized uniting the irregular Kuvâ-yi Milliye units under the command of a regular army. The foundations of the modern Turkish army were laid during this period, with officers appointed to lead the Kuvâ-yi Milliye units, transforming them into a formal army under the name “Armies of the Grand National Assembly.” The first battle won by this reorganized Turkish army was the First Battle of İnönü, commanded by Colonel İsmet (İnönü) Bey, the Western Front Commander. After the proclamation of the Republic, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk continued the modernization process of the Turkish Armed Forces with great speed.

The modern Turkish army later participated in the Korean War in 1950 with a brigade called the “North Star.” The brigade took part in battles in Busan, Suwon, Kumhwa, and Elco. During the Battle of Kunu-ri, their resistance prevented the complete destruction of the U.S. Eighth Army by Chinese forces. In the 1960s, when attacks against Turks began in Cyprus, preparations for an operation started, culminating in the 1974 Cyprus Peace Operation. The TAF played a key role in the establishment of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.

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 was the second largest standing military force in NATO, after the U.S. Armed Forces. Turkey was one of five NATO member states which was part of the nuclear sharing policy of the alliance, together with Belgium, Germany, Italy, and the Netherlands. A total of 50 U.S. B61 nuclear bombs were hosted at the Incirlik Air Base, the most of the five countries.

With the emergence of the PKK in the 1980s, the Turkish Armed Forces began counterterrorism operations within Türkiye. In the 1990s, these operations extended into Northern Iraq, where cross-border operations such as Operation Steel and Operation Hammer were conducted. In 1995, during the Kardak Crisis with Greece, Turkish commandos landed on the islets and planted the Turkish flag, an act that led to the resignation of the Greek Chief of the General Staff.

Since the 1990s the Defense Staff has faced several serious setbacks in its professionalism and ability to lead the Turkish Armed Forces. Often from political meddling by civilian governments seeking to co-opt the military. Since 2006, the Defense Staff has undergone several reforms aimed at improving meritocracy, restoring its presitge, and ensuring competent leadership at the helm of a very important institution for the Turkish Armed Forces.

Chief of the Defense Staff Admiral Adnan Özbal​

General Commander of the Land Forces General Hulusi Akar​

Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Ercüment Tatlıoğlu​

Commander of the Air Force General Hasan Küçükakyüz​

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Turkish Armed Forces​

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