The NATO Standing Maritime Group 2 (SNMG-2) ships have arrived in Istanbul for a three-day port visit. The group is currently under the command of Rear Admiral Francesco Iavazzo of the Italian Navy, embarked on his flagship ITS Carlo Bergamini. The task group consists of the Royal Canadian Navy frigate HMCS St. John’s and the Turkish frigate TCG Barbaros…

On the night of 2 October 1992, tragedy struck during the NATO exercise Display Determination. The U.S. aircraft carrier USS Saratoga (CV-60) accidentally launched two live Sea Sparrow missiles at her Turkish ally, the destroyer TCG Muavenet (DM-357). Five sailors — including the ship’s captain — were killed, and many more were injured. This remains the only time in NATO history that a U.S.

Türkiye has inducted its fourth T-70 utility helicopter into the Air Force Command in Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR) configuration, bringing the total number of aircraft delivered under the Turkish Utility Helicopter Programme (TUHP) to 31 across the armed forces and security agencies. When Turkey launched its ambitious Turkish Utility Helicopter Programme (TUHP), the vision was bold. In 2007, the Defence Industry Executive Committee approved the programme, which involved the joint production of a general-purpose helicopter with a maximum local content and subsystems, as well as production, testing, and delivery in Türkiye.

Libya has long been one of the sharpest points of division in Turkish foreign policy. For years, Ankara stood firmly behind the UN-recognized Government of National Accord (GNA) in Tripoli, clashing directly with the forces of General Khalifa Haftar’s Libyan National Army (LNA). Turkish military intervention in early 2020 tipped the balance on the battlefield: with Turkish advisers, equipment, and drone support, Tripoli repelled Haftar’s advance and recaptured key locations, including the al-Watiya airbase.

The Qatar Emiri Naval Forces’ landing platform dock (LPD) Al Fulk is currently in Istanbul, where it arrived on 16 August for a port visit that will continue until 21 August. The stop offers Turkish naval observers a chance to see firsthand one of the most unusual and ambitious ship designs to emerge in recent years. Built by Fincantieri at its Palermo and Muggiano yards, Al Fulk is more than a conventional amphibious ship—it represents a bold and creative solution to Qatar’s specific naval requirements.

This is my sixth and final instalment regarding IDEF 2025. I have been attending these defence exhibitions since 1987, when they were still called IDEA and organised in Etimesgut, Ankara. Much has changed since those days. With the benefit of hindsight, I can say that the Turkish defence industry has now reached a plateau. It is no longer a “developing” industry in the traditional sense.

IDEF 2025 Series – Instalment 5. Independence in the defence industry is a long and winding road. It is not cheap. And on top of it all, you can lose it very quickly. I’m old enough to remember that the second project Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) undertook in the late 1980s was the licensed production of CN-235 cargo planes. The aircraft was jointly developed by Spain’s CASA and Indonesia’s IPTN.

IDEF 2025 Series – Instalment 4 One of the lesser-highlighted contracts signed during IDEF 2025—but one I personally find significant—is the agreement to procure four large patrol vessels for the Turkish Coast Guard. While this contract may not have captured as much public attention as headline-grabbing deals like the export of the KAAN fighter jet to Indonesia, its long-term impact on Türkiye’s maritime security will be substantial.

IDEF 2025 Series – Instalment 3 One of the more interesting announcements at IDEF 2025 wasn’t about a new missile or a shiny prototype—it was about branding. The transformation of the ULAQ unmanned surface vessel (USV) program into an independent company marks a notable, if somewhat predictable, shift in Turkey’s defense industry landscape. The ULAQ brand—born from the collaboration between ARES Shipyard and Meteksan Defence—has been on the scene since 2020.

Scoring at Sea: Koç Bilgi ve Savunma’s Underwater Precision Tech I must admit, I felt a twinge of nostalgia when I saw the Koç Bilgi ve Savunma booth at IDEF 2025. It’s been more than 15 years sinc…

Held biennially in Istanbul, the International Defence Industry Fair (IDEF) has grown into one of the world’s leading defence exhibitions—and a strategic stage for Turkey to showcase its expa…

This is the third and final part of my series examining Türkiye’s emerging ambition to build and operate nuclear-powered submarines. In Part 1, I explored why Türkiye wants this capability. Part 2 analyzed what it would take to achieve it. Now, I look at what it would cost—not just in monetary terms, but also politically and diplomatically. The desire to construct and operate a nuclear-powered submarine is a long, winding, and uphill road.

This is the second part of my series on Türkiye’s newly declared ambition to acquire nuclear-powered submarines. In Part 1, I discussed why Türkiye believes it needs this capability. In this instalment, I explore what it would take—from nuclear technology and shipbuilding infrastructure to international cooperation and human capital. Following the Turkish Navy’s newly stated ambition to operate nuclear-powered submarines, this second instalment explores the feasibility of such a bold step—examining the technological, industrial, political, and legal challenges Türkiye would need to overcome.

I recently conducted an interview with the Commander of the Turkish Naval Forces, Admiral Ercüment Tatlıoğlu. The two-part interview is being published in Warship International Fleet Review Magazine. To read it in full, you'll need to access the magazine. One of the most significant revelations from the interview, in my view, is how the future of the Turkish Navy is being envisioned.

Seventy-two years ago today, the Turkish Navy suffered its greatest peacetime loss when the submarine TCG Dumlupınar (formerly USS Blower) sank at Nara Point in the Çanakkale Strait. TCG Dumlupınar and her sister boat, TCG 1. İnönü, were returning from a NATO exercise when, at 02:15, the Swedish-flagged merchant ship M/V Naboland collided with TCG Dumlupınar at Nara Point—the narrowest and most challenging part of the strait to navigate.

The Turkish Naval EOD teams destroyed another floating mine in the Black Sea today. According to a news release from the Turkish Ministry of National Defence, a mine believed to be from the Russia-Ukraine War was detected off the coast of Kefken in the Black Sea and subsequently neutralized. The type of mine was not disclosed. Since the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Turkish Naval Forces ships have logged over 24,000 hours at sea, while naval air assets have conducted more than 5,000 flight hours.

Today, Aselsan shared new information regarding the tests conducted with Gökberk mobile laser weapon system.  Both Aselsan and Roketsan have significantly advanced laser weapon systems, enhancing defense capabilities against modern threats such as drones and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). These systems, when fielded, will demonstrate the nation's commitment to integrating advanced technologies into its national defense strategy. Aselsan's Gökberk mobile laser weapon system…

The French Fremm-class frigate Aquitaine arrived in Antalya this morning for a port visit. I am not a fan of the French Navy’s newly adopted policy of erasing the ships' pennant numbers. While information about the ships’ deployments is available on the internet and through other media, this removal of pennant numbers only makes life difficult for ship spotters and nothing more.

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) was established in Washington, D.C., in 1949 by 12 founding members. Turkey became a member of NATO on February 18, 1952. With Finland and Sweden joining NATO in 2023 and 2024, respectively, after abandoning their neutrality policies due to security concerns arising from the Russia-Ukraine war, the alliance now consists of 32 member states.

On 10 January 2025, Joseph H. Dempsey published a detailed analysis on the IISS Military Balance Blog, shedding light on North Korea’s latest naval development. Dempsey’s report highlights the construction of the country’s largest-ever warship, providing key insights into its design, potential capabilities, and strategic implications. This development aligns with the IISS's earlier assessment, confirming the rapid evolution of North Korea’s naval projects despite significant operational and technological challenges.

Ankara's naval doctrine is seen by Greece and Israel as a major geopolitical challenge.

Ankara's naval doctrine is seen by Greece and Israel as a major geopolitical challenge.