How Dangerous Is Turkey's Military

Turkish soldiers stand near military vehicles in the border town of Akcakale in Sanliurfa province, Turkey, October 11, 2019. REUTERS/Khalil Ashawi

Kyle Mizokami, National Interest: How Dangerous Is Turkey's Military on the Battlefield?

F-16s, submarines and state of the art tanks are just a small part of what Turkey can use to wage war.

Straddling two continents, Turkey has one of the most powerful armed forces in Europe or Asia. Over four hundred thousand strong, Ankara’s armed forces are divided into the Army, Air Force, and Navy. A Special Forces Corps exists and is subordinate directly to the Turkish General Staff. The Turkish military formed a bulwark against the Warsaw Pact during the Cold War, facing Bulgarian, Romanian and Soviet forces that in wartime would drive south through Thrace and seize the Bosphorus Strait.

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WNU Editor: On paper Turkey's military looks impressive. But it is also a military that has had much of its officer corp purged after a failed coup d'etat against Turkish President Erdogan a few years ago.

Turkey Unveils its Own TF-X Next-Generation Fighter (It Is Just A Mock-Up)

Here is Turkish Aerospace Industries’ TF-X mock-up.

TAI’s president notes that it is one of the makers of the F-35’s center fuselage, which gives it the industrial strength to build this fighter.

This music is amazing lol. pic.twitter.com/0ZM7HMdF1U

— Valerie Insinna (@ValerieInsinna) June 17, 2019

Military.com: Turkey Unveils its Own TF-X Next-Gen Fighter Amid F-35 Uncertainty

SALON DU BOURGET, PARIS -- Amid discord between the U.S. and Turkey over Turkey's recently announced removal from F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program, Turkish Aerospace Industries on Monday unveiled its own next-generation fighter concept, saying the aircraft could be operational in roughly ten years' time.

Turkish officials here at the Paris-Le Bourget Airport said its fighter concept is a result of an emphasis on research and development and investment in technology in concert with its defense industry. Officials said TF-X is also made possible due to a partnership with U.K.-based BAE Systems for the program.

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Update: Turkey Unveils New Fifth-Generation Jet TF-X, Indigenous Alternative to F-35 (Sputnik)

WNU Editor: LOL. Turkey is not going to develop and build a fifth-generation fighter. 

Turkey Is Considering The Russian Su-57 Or Chinese J-31 Jets To Replace F-35s

© Sputnik / Ilya Pitalev

Ahval: Turkey considers Russian Su-57, Chinese J-31 jets to replace F-35s - Yeni Şafak

Turkey’s security bureaucracy already has alternative plans in case the United States halts the delivery of the F-35 jets over Ankara’s decision to buy S-400 missile systems and has been considering Russian Su-57 or Chinese J-31 stealth fighters as possible options, pro-government Yeni Şafak daily said on Sunday.

As a last move of Washington’s increased pressure on Ankara to cancel the S-400 deal with Moscow, the Acting U.S. Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan sent a letter to Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar on Thursday detailing how Turkey’s participation in the F-35 program will be all but suspended as of July 31, unless Turkey withdraws from its planned purchase of Russian defence systems.

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Update: Turkey Has 'Plans B, C, D' to Replace F-35 With Su-57, J-31 if US Blocks Delivery – Report (Sputnik)

WNU Editor: The Russian option is not really feasible. The Russian air force does not have many of them, and their recent order to purchase 76 Su-57s will take a decade to complete .... Russia Orders 76 Su-57 Stealth Jets (May 18, 2019). Then there is the training of air crews, maintenance, parts, etc.. Nope. This is not a feasible option. The Chinese J-31 is even murkier. China is known to export military hardware and equipment at a good price, but fighter jets are an entirely different thing. This option is just like the Russian one.  It will be years before Turkey gets one jet, and then there is the training, maintenance, parts, etc., issue that will need to be worked out.