In the XXI century, a large number of modern states seek peaceful coexistence with other countries. In other words, people are tired of wars. A similar trend began to gain momentum after World War II. This conflict made it clear that the next large-scale clash could endanger not only the foundations of the world, but also the existence of humanity as a whole. Therefore, to date, many armies are used exclusively for organizing internal defense against any external aggressors. Nevertheless, local conflicts still arise at various points on the planet. There is no escape from this negative factor. In order to prevent a full-scale war, some states invest a lot of money in the defense of their country. This helps to create the latest technologies that can be used in the military sphere of activity. It is worth noting that one of the most developed and effective today are the Armed Forces of Turkey. They have a rather interesting history, which determines many formation traditions that exist in its activities to this day. At the same time, the Turkish army is well equipped and also divided into constituent structures that help it effectively implement all the main tasks.
History of Turkish Armed Forces - Early Period
The Turkish army traces its history back to the 14th century AD. It should be noted that the armed forces of this period belonged to the Ottoman Empire. The state got its name after the first ruler, Osman I, who conquered several small countries, which necessitated the creation of a monarchist (imperial) form of government. By this time, the Turkish army already had several separate formations, which were used quite effectively in the process of implementing combat missions. What did the Ottoman Empire have in their composition?
- The Seratkul army is an auxiliary force. As a rule, it was created by provincial rulers to protect their possessions. It included infantry and cavalry.
- The professional state army was the army of the capsule. The formation was composed of many units. The main ones were infantry, artillery, navy and cavalry. Capsule troops were financed from the state treasury.
- The auxiliary forces of the Ottoman army were the army of topracles, as well as detachments of fighters recruiting from the provinces, laden with tribute.
The influence of European culture laid the foundation for a large number of transformations in the army. Already in the XIX century, the formation is completely reorganized. This process was carried out using European experts in the military field. The head of the army was the vizier. At the same time, the Janissary corps were liquidated. The basis of the armed forces of the Ottoman Empire at that time was regular cavalry, infantry and artillery. At the same time, there were irregular troops, which in fact were a reserve.
The late period of the development of the Ottoman army
Towards the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries, Turkey was at the peak of its development both militarily and economically. The army began to use aircraft, as well as universal firearms. As for the fleet, ships, as a rule, were ordered by the Turkish army in Europe. But due to the difficult political situation within the state in the 20th century, the armed forces of the Ottoman Empire cease to exist, because the state of the same name disappears. Instead, the Republic of Turkey appears, existing to this day.
Turkish Armed Forces: modernity
In the XXI century, the armed forces are a combination of various branches of the state. They are intended to protect the country from external aggression, to preserve its territorial integrity. The command of the Turkish Armed Forces is carried out through the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Ministry of Defense. It should be noted that the ground forces are of great importance, as will be discussed below. They are the second strongest in the NATO bloc. As for the internal coordination of activities, it is implemented through the General Staff. The Commander-in-Chief of the Turkish Army is also the head of the represented body. The General Staff, in turn, is subordinate to the commanders of the corresponding arms of service.
The size of the Turkish army
In terms of numbers, the formation presented in the article is one of the largest in the world. The Turkish army has 410 thousand personnel. This figure includes military personnel related to all military branches without exception. In addition, the Armed Forces of the Republic of Turkey includes about 185 thousand reservists. Thus, in the event of a full-scale war, the state can assemble a sufficiently strong fighting vehicle that will perfectly cope with the tasks assigned to it.
Formation structure
The strength of the Turkish army depends on many factors, one of which is the structure of the Armed Forces. This feature affects the effectiveness and operational use of the Turkish Armed Forces in the event of an unforeseen attack or other negative aspects. It should be noted that the army is organized in a classical way, that is, according to the generally accepted model in the world. The structure includes the following types of troops:
As we know, this type of armed forces can be seen in almost all modern states. After all, this kind of system allows you to use the army as efficiently as possible in war conditions and in peacetime.
What are the Turkish ground forces?
The Turkish army, the comparison of which with other armed forces and the analysis of combat readiness today is carried out quite often, is famous for its ground forces. This is not surprising, because this type of troops has a long and interesting history, which was already mentioned earlier in the article. It should be noted that this structural element of the armed forces is a formation, which consists mainly of infantry, as well as mechanized units. To date, the size of the Turkish army, namely the ground forces, is about 391 thousand personnel. Formation is used to defeat enemy forces on land. In addition, some special units of the ground forces carry out reconnaissance and sabotage activities behind enemy lines. It should be noted that relative ethnic homogeneity affects the power that the Turkish army possesses. Kurds serving in the national troops, given the difficult situation in which they are, do not experience any harassment.
The composition of the ground forces
It should be noted that the ground formations of Turkey, in turn, are divided into smaller groups. It follows that we can talk about the structure of the ground forces of the Armed Forces of the country. To date, the following units are part of this element:
- army aviation ;
- infantry;
- artillery;
- special forces, or "commandos."
Tank units are also of great importance. After all, the Turkish Armed Forces have a large number of such military vehicles.
Armament of the ground forces
It should be noted that the armament of the Turkish army is at a fairly high level compared to other states of Europe and the Middle East. As mentioned earlier, the ground forces are equipped with a large number of tanks. As a rule, these are Leopards of a German manufacturer or American military vehicles. Also in service with Turkey are about 4625 thousand units of infantry fighting vehicles. The number of artillery guns is 6110 thousand units. If we talk about the personal safety of the soldiers, then it is provided due to a sufficiently high-quality and practical weapon. As a rule, fighters use NK MP5 submachine guns, SVD, T-12 sniper rifles, Browning heavy machine guns, etc.
Turkish naval forces
Like other elements of the Armed Forces, the Navy is a fairly significant part, which is entrusted with extremely specific functions. First of all, it should be noted that at the present stage of development the naval forces are needed by the Republic of Turkey more than ever. Firstly, the state has access to the seas, which allows it to engage in international trade in large volumes. Secondly, the geopolitical situation in the world today is extremely unstable. Therefore, naval forces are the first stronghold on the path of various ill-wishers. It should be noted that the Turkish fleet was formed in 1525. In those days, the Ottoman naval forces were truly an invincible unit in a battle on the water. With the help of the fleet, the empire has for centuries captured and kept in fear the territories it needs.
As for modernity, today the fleet has not lost its power. On the contrary, naval forces are developing quite dynamically. The Turkish Navy includes:
- fleet itself;
- Marines;
- maritime aviation;
- special units used in special cases.
Armament of the naval forces
Of course, the main striking means of the Turkish naval forces is the fleet. Nowadays, nowhere without it. Therefore, when considering weapons, it is necessary to build on just such an important system part of the Navy as the fleet. He, in turn, is represented by a large number of different frigates and corvettes, which have great maneuverability and efficiency. Also quite interesting is the naval aviation of the republic. It includes equipment of both Turkish and foreign production.
Air Force
As for the Turkish air force , they are one of the youngest units, given the glorious history of other military units that make up the armed forces. They were created in 1911 and were actively used in the First World War. The Turkish army during the war, as we know, was defeated along with other countries of the Triple Alliance. For this and some other reasons, aviation ceases to exist. Her activity was resumed only in 1920. Today, about 60 thousand personnel are serving in the Turkish Air Force. In addition, there are 34 operating military airfields in the state. The activities of the Turkish Air Force include the following basic functions:
- protection of the country's airspace;
- the defeat of manpower and enemy technology on earth;
- defeat of the air forces of the enemy.
Air Force Engineering
The Turkish Air Force has many aircraft that allow them to carry out their tasks as efficiently as possible. Thus, today there are a large number of transport and combat aircraft, helicopters, as well as air defense systems. In this case, fighters, as a rule, are multi-purpose. Air defense is represented by medium and short range equipment. The Turkish Air Force also has a large number of unmanned aerial vehicles.
Turkish army versus Russian: comparison
A comparison of the Armed Forces of Turkey and Russia is increasingly being made recently. To figure out which army is stronger, you need to look, first of all, at the defense budget and the number of troops. For example, Russia spends $ 84 billion on its troops, while in the Republic of Turkey this figure is only 22.4 billion. As for the number of personnel, we can count on 700 thousand people in war conditions. In Turkey, the number of military personnel is only 500 thousand people. Of course, there are other factors on the basis of which it is possible to evaluate the combat readiness of the armies of these two countries. Thus, who is in a better situation if the Turkish army is against the Russian? A comparison based on dry statistics shows that the Russian Federation has a more powerful formation than the Republic of Turkey.
Conclusion
So, the author tried to explain what the Turkish army is. It should be noted that the combat power of this formation is strong enough, as in other modern states. We hope that we will never have to feel the activities of the Turkish army.