In 2013, Turkey adopted a long-term program of military construction and rearmament, calculated until 2033. Over two decades, it is planned to build powerful and developed armed forces suitable for effectively solving all the main tasks in local conflict zones. The implementation of such plans is associated with significant expenses - and is not insured against certain problems.
General trends
In recent years, Turkey, taking advantage of the growth of its economy, has constantly increased its military budget. Record figures were obtained last year. For defense needs, 145 billion lira (more than 15 billion euros) were spent. Such expenditures are equivalent to 9.6% of the country's GDP or 13% of the expenditure side of the budget.
A significant part of the military budget is spent on maintaining the army and solving current problems. Payments are made, facilities are repaired, equipment and weapons are being restored, etc. At the same time, it is possible to budget for the implementation of various large projects in the field of rearmament. Provisions are made for the development of our own samples, the purchase or joint production of foreign equipment, etc.
On its own and with the help of foreign partners, Turkey is developing new models of ground armored vehicles, incl. tanks. Until recently, preparations were underway for the transfer of tactical aviation to new equipment; the fleet and coastal troops are being updated, etc. New designs of various kinds are regularly displayed at various events and are considered to show the potential of the Turkish industry.
However, cooperation with foreign partners leads to certain risks. Recently, several projects with foreign participation have come under threat due to political differences. For example, Turkey recently acquired and put into service the Russian S-400 air defense systems. This move drew criticism from NATO partners and led to the breakdown of some agreements on military-technical cooperation.
Armored problems
The ground forces are armed with approx. 3500 tanks, but the potential for quantity is leveled by quality. Outdated M48 and M60 account for about two-thirds of this fleet, which, even after numerous upgrades, do not meet current requirements. There is also approx. The 400 imported Leopard 1 and 340 Leopard 2 are the newest in the army.
For many years Turkey has been trying to build its own Altay main battle tank. In 2018, the long-awaited contract for serial production appeared, but its implementation proved impossible. The solution to the problems that have arisen will take several years, and production tanks are now expected only in 2023.
The Altai project was developed for an imported power unit. It was planned to install the German engine-transmission unit EuroPowerPack with MTU engine and Renk transmission on serial tanks. However, German-Turkish relations deteriorated, and the purchase of such blocks turned out to be impossible. Turkey does not have its own engines with the required characteristics, and the timing of their appearance is unknown.
In early March, it became known that the Turkish industry had found a supplier of engines and transmissions. These products will be manufactured by South Korean companies Doosan Infracore and S&T Dynamics. In the near future, the Altay tank and MTO based on the DV27K diesel engine will be finalized for joint use, after which tests will begin. It is planned to spend no more than 18 months on current work, after which Altai will be put into production.
Aviation difficulties
The Turkish Air Force has nine fighter-bomber squadrons, which are responsible for the main combat work. The main aircraft of the Air Force are American F-16C / D of various series in the amount of approx. 240 units At the same time, less than 160 aircraft are fixed in combat units, and the rest are operated by training aircraft. Also, less than fifty outdated F-4E remain in service.
Several years ago, Turkey agreed with the United States on joint work on the F-35 program. The Turkish side was supposed to produce and supply some parts for serial aircraft. In addition, she planned to purchase up to 120 fighters. Since 2018, Turkish pilots have been trained at American bases, and in 2020-21. the transfer of the first aircraft was expected.
In 2019, cooperation on the aviation line was curtailed. Turkey acquired Russian air defense systems, which did not suit the United States. After an exchange of threats, the American side withdrew Turkey from the F-35 program. As a result, the Turkish Air Force lost the chance to carry out rearmament and receive modern equipment within a reasonable time frame.
In 2020, unmanned aircraft came under attack. The conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh has become the "finest hour" for the Turkish attack UAVs Bayraktar TB2. However, as a result of these events, Bombardier / Rotax denied Turkey any further supply of their engines used on these drones. A similar situation has arisen with some electronic devices.
For several years, the Turkish industry has been promising to create and put into series its analogues of foreign engines for its own UAVs. At the end of last year, it was announced the start of cooperation with Ukraine, which will provide ready-made engines and technologies for their production. How successful this engagement will be is unclear.
Anti-aircraft disadvantages
Serious problems are also observed in the field of fighting enemy aircraft. The outdated MIM-23 Hawk or C-125 complexes are still in service. Artillery systems still occupy a significant place in the air defense system. All this does not allow Turkey to create a full-fledged echeloned strategic air defense, but measures are being taken.
The most high-profile event in the context of Turkish air defense was the purchase of Russian S-400 systems. The move has seriously boosted air defense capabilities, but has damaged Turkey's relations with key foreign partners and jeopardized a number of joint projects. At the same time, friendly countries did not sell complexes with the desired characteristics to the Turkish army.
Currently, great hopes are pinned on the Hisar SAM family. The first air defense system of this line has been brought to production, and the launch of another series is expected in the near future. New short- and medium-range systems will have to replace outdated equipment and complement the modern S-400. However, the production of a sufficient number of new complexes will take several years, and the creation of a full-scale air defense is shifted to an indefinite future.
Challenges for the fleet
A head submarine of the Reis type was launched in Turkey the other day. It has been under construction since 2015 and should begin service in 2022. It is planned to build a series of six such ships with the delivery of the last in 2027. These will be the first non-nuclear submarines in Turkey equipped with an air-independent power plant. They are expected to significantly increase the capacity of the fleet, which already includes 12 diesel-electric boats.
For all its advantages, the Reis project has a serious problem in the form of dependence on imports. This boat was developed by German specialists on the basis of the finished Type 214 project. By order of the Turkish fleet, VNEU, also of German design, was introduced into the project. Construction work was carried out at a Turkish shipyard, but at this stage Germany made a great contribution. In addition, at least in the first years of service, the new boats will depend on American and German missiles and torpedoes - until the announced appearance of Turkish counterparts.
Since 2015, the construction of the Anadolu universal amphibious assault ship has been underway. This ship with a length of 232 m and a displacement of 25-27 thousand tons was developed on the basis of the Spanish UDC Juan Carlos I and has similar characteristics. He will be able to provide for the landing of troops using various boats, amphibious vehicles and helicopters. At the same time, the flight deck is equipped with a bow springboard, which allows the UDC to be used as a light aircraft carrier with aircraft on board. The aircraft group of the ship can include 12 aircraft and helicopters.
Anadolu is being built at a Turkish plant, but the project is heavily dependent on foreign supplies. In addition, construction is both large and complex, which in itself is difficult. In April 2019, on the eve of launching, a fire broke out on the ship, which required minor repairs. It is assumed that this year the new UDC will be tested and will be accepted into the Navy. This will allow placing an order for a second ship of the same type - Trakya.
Having entered the combat composition of the Navy, the new Anadolu will be able to solve only amphibious missions - the operation of the ship as an aircraft carrier is apparently canceled. Turkey was excluded from the F-35 program, and now it will not be able to purchase the F-35B short takeoff aircraft. Accordingly, for an indefinite period of time, the bow ramp of the ship and other elements necessary for the aircraft become useless.
Successes and failures
Thus, in recent years, the Turkish Armed Forces and the Defense Industry have done a lot of work and successfully implemented a number of projects, giving the country a reason to be proud. At the same time, some programs, including the most complex and expensive ones, face serious problems. This leads to a constant shift in terms, to the need to find new partners, etc.
The reasons for such phenomena are quite simple. Turkey can already afford quite large spending on defense, which is capable of providing quantitative and qualitative growth. At the same time, the problem of insufficient development of its own defense industry remains. There is no own production of both full-fledged complexes and individual components. All this leads to certain risks of a political nature.
However, cooperation with third countries is not an unambiguous problem. Despite disputes and scandals, Turkey gains access to modern foreign projects and technologies. She also uses the available opportunities and gains experience for further independent use.
In general, the current program of modernization of the Turkish armed forces is coping with the tasks set. The reorganization of various structures is underway and the material part is being updated. However, in both directions, various problems remain, limiting the pace of work. Whether it will be possible to get rid of them and fully fulfill the assigned tasks will become known later - by 2033.
