Politics
Constitution, terror-free Türkiye dominate parties’ Eid visits
On the second day of the Muslim holiday Qurban Bayram, or Eid al-Adha, on Saturday, parties across Türkiye’s wide political spectrum continued a longstanding tradition: exchanging Eid greetings. Leaders and senior figures of parties, from the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) to opposition parties, great and small, visited each other’s headquarters.
Unlike heated debates at Parliament or election campaigns, the atmosphere was warm as politicians traded jokes and wishes for wellness instead of pointed barbs.
The meetings started with casual talk, but politics eventually made its way to the conversation, just as Eid get-togethers in most Turkish households. Hot topics such as efforts for a new constitution and progress in the terror-free Türkiye initiative that involves an expected end to the campaign of violence by the PKK terrorist group were informally discussed during the meetings.
As it did in Ramadan Bayram, or Eid al-Fitr, earlier this year, the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) abstained from Eid visits. The CHP has, however, taken the unprecedented step of visiting President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and hosting him at its headquarters in a softening climate in politics following the 2024 municipal elections. However, after the arrest of its Istanbul mayor, Ekrem Imamoğlu, in March, the party decided to skip Eid visits, particularly to the AK Party, reasoning that Eid was not an occasion of joy for them due to the arrest of the metropolis’s mayor and other mayors of the party.
The AK Party hosted representatives of nine political parties at its headquarters in the capital, Ankara. Deputy Chair Belgin Uygur was the main host for the party during visits, while the party’s chair, President Erdoğan, chose to spend Eid with his family in one of his rare vacations. Erdoğan was in Marmaris, a popular vacation resort in the southwest, a first in years for the leader who narrowly escaped an assassination attempt while vacationing there at the time of an attempted coup in 2016.
The AK Party’s first guest on Saturday was a delegation from government ally Nationalist Movement Party (MHP). AK Party and MHP officials underlined the spirit of solidarity and unity on occasions like Eid, while the conversation eventually drifted into grave matters and how to resolve them.
Uygur highlighted the fact that this was the fourth Eid al-Adha where they are praying again for the liberation of the people of Gaza from attacks by Israel and subsequent genocide. “God willing, this will be the last Eid before they find liberation. People there have a righteous resistance, conduct a strong struggle. But they are deprived of their most basic human rights under constant bombing. Attacks target humanitarian aid delivery nowadays. Under the leadership of President Erdoğan, we always exhibited a clear and decisive stance against this cruelty. We are praying that the international community will not remain quiet in the face of attacks and Gaza will be free again,” she said.
Terror-free Türkiye
Uygur also spoke about the terror-free Türkiye initiative launched by MHP leader Devlet Bahçeli last year.
“We made remarkable progress in the goal of terror-free Türkiye thanks to the president’s call for a unified home front and subsequent historic call by Mr. Bahçeli (for a terror-free Türkiye). When the initiative made tangible progress after (the PKK terrorist group’s jailed leader, Abdullah Öcalan, called them to lay down arms in February), we already had significant democratic gains to move this process forward. Democracy will be strengthened further in the next stage of the initiative,” she said. Speaking of democracy, Uygur moved on to renew the AK Party’s call for support to draft a new constitution.
“We hope to leave behind the coup-era Constitution and move toward a new constitution shaped by the contributions of the entire society and all political parties. Whatever our names may be, our name is ultimately brotherhood, and our surname is Türkiye,” she said, using the AK Party’s slogan for Eid greetings.
“All 86 million of us, with all our differences and all our colors, will continue walking together, united and strong, on the path to a strong and great Türkiye. We will continue to discuss, debate, evaluate and resolve our issues more effectively within the realm of politics,” she added.
The AK Party is set to convene a first meeting of its 11-person commission tasked with discussing a constitutional overhaul in the coming weeks.
The commission, chaired by Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz, includes AK Party Deputy Chairs Efkan Ala and Mustafa Elitaş, as well as Hayati Yazıcı, Ali Ihsan Yavuz, party spokesperson Ömer Çelik and other deputy chairs. The first meeting, set to be held at the Presidential Complex, is expected to tackle the commission’s method of operation.
In meetings, the commission will develop comprehensive strategies for a new constitution.
AK Party’s chair, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, could also chair some of the meetings scheduled for the following months, party insiders have said.
Lawmakers, academics, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and representatives of various social groups will be in constant contact and utilize ongoing studies and accumulating knowledge, according to the vice president, who spoke to reporters after a recent Cabinet meeting.
“The commission will contribute to the process politically and legally,” he added.
The AK Party has long campaigned for a constitution, including a declaration announced during its 2023 election campaign. The “New Constitution for the New Century of Türkiye” declaration, which refers to the second century of the Republic of Türkiye, underlined the need for a new constitution.
“Establishing a constitutional order based on human dignity for the prevalence of developments in the field of rights and freedoms is necessary,” the 2023 declaration said.
The declaration also said the constitution would preserve democratic gains acquired during the AK Party’s governance and would ensure a high-standard democracy, guarantees for freedoms and the supremacy of law.
The government has been pushing to overhaul the Constitution for over a decade now, which was enforced in 1982 following a military coup that led to the detention of hundreds of thousands of people along with mass trials, torture and executions, which still represents a dark period in Turkish political history.
The AK Party has a comprehensive draft prepared by a scientific council during the pandemic, which it’s hoping to submit to Parliament. The MHP also announced a constitutional draft that includes over 100 articles from the past.
The Constitution’s first four articles, which state the essential tenets of the Turkish republic, have been subject to debate for years. CHP has repeatedly accused the AK Party of aiming to change the articles, which the ruling party flatly rejects.
The current 1982 Constitution’s first three articles regulate the basic principles of the country, namely: that the country is a republic; that it is a democratic, secular and social state governed by the rule of law; that its language is Turkish, its capital is Ankara and that the first three articles cannot be altered.
Last summer, Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş oversaw talks between political parties on a constitutional overhaul and met representatives of all parties at Parliament to discuss a new constitution. He has said the general consensus was “positive” but that the CHP “still remains far from the table.”
The CHP is inclined to reject a constitutional overhaul, with its leader, Özgür Özel, claiming such a change has raised “other kinds of negotiations” without elaborating.
At least 400 lawmakers must ratify a new constitution draft in Parliament. Anything over 360 votes would allow a referendum, allowing the people to decide.
Speaking during the visit, MHP Deputy Chair Sadir Durmaz said that as a partner of the People’s Alliance it formed with the AK Party, they were committed to Türkiye’s stance against Israel in the face of attacks targeting Palestinians.
Durmaz also spoke about terror-free Türkiye and said they were hoping to get rid of the terrorism problem, “One of the biggest obstacles on the path to Türkiye’s growth and efforts to develop the country.”
“Support by Mr. President and the state to the initiative after our leader’s call and largely good intentions of relevant sides to the issue instill us with hope. It has been 40 years since the terrorism began, and we all suffered from it. Particularly, people in the region suffered,” he said, referring to southeastern and eastern Türkiye where the PKK launched its first attacks and terrorized the population since the 1980s.
“People born at the beginning of the terrorism campaign are now in their 40s and their children, our children, grandchildren should not suffer from the same fate. We have to be together in pursuing our goal of making Türkiye a strong, leading country in the region and in the world by saving it from these problems,” he said.
On the constitution, Durmaz said they had to work together to get rid of the constitution that still bears the marks of the coup era. “Opposition parties always complain about the Constitution, and we hope they will exhibit sincere support for a new one,” he said.
Another guest of the AK Party was the Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party), which has been the strongest critic of the party over counterterrorism efforts against the PKK. The DEM Party is closely associated with the terrorist group, and several members of another party, which was its spiritual predecessor, were convicted of PKK propaganda. The DEM Party’s spokesperson for its Language and Culture Committee, Cemile Turhallı Balsak, led the party’s delegation during a visit to the AK Party. Extending Eid greetings in Turkish and Kurdish, Balsak said Eids have been an important element of social tolerance, brotherhood and peace.
“The society always knows how to resolve its problems through discussing them. As long as we stay together and remain determined, we can overcome them. We are going through an important process,” she said, referring to the terror-free Türkiye initiative.
“It is very valuable for people of Türkiye, and it is crucial to support it in a transparent manner. Anatolia has always had seeds of peace, and the goal should be growing them. We have a historic responsibility, and we attach importance that the process is discussed at Parliament,” she said. For her part, Uygur said that although their views differ, they were all brothers and sisters and they would debate their problems in the parliament and would move forward.
The MHP and the DEM Party, which were worlds away from each other in terms of politics, visited each other’s headquarters on Saturday in a sign of changing times in Türkiye. The two parties had already come together after the terror-free Türkiye initiative was launched by Bahçeli after he shook hands with DEM Party lawmakers in a surprising sight at Parliament last October.
Bahçeli has been a fierce critic of the DEM Party and its predecessors. At one point, he called for their closure for their support of the PKK. However, he revised his stand when he called for Öcalan to attend a parliamentary group meeting of the DEM Party to make his call to the PKK to dissolve itself. This “normalization” between the two parties was evident in Eid meetings with MHP officials pledging that the process would accelerate after Parliament takes new steps following the PKK’s May declaration of dissolving itself. The DEM Party delegation highlighted the birth of “a new climate of peace.” Sadir Durmaz further broke the ice during a visit to DEM Party’s offices.
“I hope you don’t mind if I prefer weak tea,” Durmaz said as he offered a glass of tea, amid the laughter of DEM Party officials. “Dem,” although an acronym for the party, is also used in Turkish to describe the well-steeped tea.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan met with Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on Friday, with the two leaders discussing bilateral relations as well as regional and global developments, according to a statement from Türkiye’s Presidency.
During the meeting, Erdoğan emphasized the importance of deepening cooperation between Türkiye and Singapore, highlighting the strong potential for expanding ties across multiple sectors.
The president said Ankara would continue efforts to strengthen relations with Singapore in areas of mutual interest, underscoring the value of closer collaboration between the two countries.
The talks also covered regional and international issues, reflecting the growing importance of dialogue and cooperation amid ongoing global challenges.
Türkiye and Singapore have maintained steadily developing relations in recent years, with cooperation spanning trade, investment, defense, technology and education. The meeting reaffirmed both countries’ commitment to further enhancing bilateral engagement and exploring new avenues for partnership.
The ceremony took place at the Dolmabahçe Presidential Office, where Wong arrived as part of his visit to Türkiye.
Following the ceremony, Erdoğan and Wong held bilateral and delegation-level meetings.
Among those attending the talks were Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Treasury and Finance Minister Mehmet Simsek, Communications Director Burhanettin Duran, Chief Adviser to the President on Security and Foreign Policy Akif Çağatay Kılıç, and Bilal Erdoğan, head of the board of trustees of the Ilim Yayma Foundation.
Turkish officials and policymakers warned Friday that climate change, water scarcity and food security are emerging as major national security challenges, calling for stronger cooperation and long-term planning to address growing environmental risks.
The remarks came during the Erciyes Summit, held under the theme “Climate, Water, Food and Security,” was organized at the Sabancı Cultural Center by the Büyük Sanat Foundation, Erciyes University, the Kayseri Governorship, the Kayseri Metropolitan Municipality and the Orta Anadolu Development Agency (ORAN).
Speaking at the opening session, Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Minister Murat Kurum said climate change is no longer solely an environmental issue but a challenge affecting economies, societies and national stability.
“Drought has become a global issue,” Kurum said, noting that declining water resources are affecting agricultural productivity, drinking water security and industrial output.
He warned that pressure on water resources directly affects food production and could ultimately create broader security concerns.
“When water weakens, production weakens. When production weakens, pressure on food supplies increases. As food pressure rises, social stability and public security are affected at their roots,” Kurum said.
He also highlighted preparations for the COP31 climate summit, which Türkiye is set to host in Antalya in November.
“We want COP31 to become more than a summit. We want it to be a climate mobilization where promises are transformed into projects and projects into concrete results on the ground,” Kurum said.
Agriculture and Forestry Minister Ibrahim Yumaklı stressed the importance of water management for ensuring food security and agricultural sustainability. Describing water as the foundation of life, Yumaklı said Türkiye has strengthened its water infrastructure and currently enjoys historically high reservoir levels.
“The active occupancy rate of our dams has reached 81.5%, which is a record level,” he underlined. “We currently have 26 billion cubic meters more water stored in our reservoirs.”
Yumaklı added that Türkiye aims to increase the share of closed-circuit irrigation systems from 38.5% to 45% by 2028 to improve efficiency and reduce water losses.
Parliamentary National Defense Committee Chair Hulusi Akar argued that water and food shortages should be viewed as national security concerns.
“Food and water crises are no longer merely environmental issues; they have become matters of national security and energy security,” Akar said.
He warned that food shortages could fuel instability and conflict, noting that hundreds of millions of people around the world continue to face hunger.
Akar also called for strategic agricultural planning and greater efforts to encourage younger generations to engage in farming, describing sustainable agriculture as a critical component of future resilience.
Deputy Industry and Technology Minister Oruç Baba Inan emphasized the importance of green and digital transformation in maintaining economic competitiveness while addressing environmental challenges.
He stressed that Türkiye is implementing programs to support sustainability-driven industrial growth, improve efficiency and promote local development.
The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) has rejected the European Parliament’s controversial 2025 Türkiye Report, saying it ignores the inherent rights, sovereign will and current realities of the Turkish Cypriot people.
In a written statement released on late Thursday, the TRNC Foreign Ministry criticized the report, which was adopted by the European Parliament’s General Assembly on June 17.
“We completely reject the baseless accusations directed at our motherland Türkiye, as well as the assessments that disregard the inherent rights, sovereign will and existing realities of the Turkish Cypriot people on the island,” the ministry said.
The statement said the sections of the report concerning Cyprus once again revealed the European Union’s “biased and detached” approach to the Cyprus issue.
It stressed that the TRNC is a sovereign and independent state that continues to exist through its institutions, democratic structure and the free will of its people.
“The report’s description of the Turkish Cypriot people merely as a ‘legitimate community of the island,’ and its call on Türkiye to ‘open political space’ for Turkish Cypriots, clearly disregards the TRNC, which was founded through the democratic will of our people, as well as our people’s right to determine their own future,” the ministry said.
The statement said the EP’s continued attempt to impose a federation-based settlement model as the only option does not correspond to the political and practical realities on the island.
It added that reviving a negotiation model that has been exhausted due to the Greek Cypriot side’s uncompromising stance would not contribute to efforts to reach a settlement.
The ministry said a lasting and just agreement could only be achieved through the recognition of the sovereign equality and equal international status of the Turkish Cypriot people.
It also rejected what it called “baseless claims” in the report regarding Akyar, Pile and Maraş, as well as property issues, missing persons, cultural heritage matters, buffer zone violations and Türkiye’s legitimate presence in Cyprus.
“All of these biased and unfounded assessments are entirely one-sided and null and void from our perspective,” the ministry said.
The ministry also criticized the report’s call for the European Commission to appoint a new special representative for Cyprus, calling the proposal “unwarranted.”
“It is not credible for the EU, which has ignored the fundamental rights of the Turkish Cypriot people for years, to claim that it can contribute to a settlement as a ‘neutral’ actor,” the statement said. “EU intervention will never be accepted.”
The statement said the EU had failed to fulfill its 2004 commitments to lift the isolation of the Turkish Cypriot people, while rewarding what it described as the uncompromising stance of the Greek Cypriot side.
It also criticized what it called attempts to obstruct the TRNC’s developing ties with the international community through the Organisation of Turkic States (OTS) and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).
“These developments have once again revealed the EU’s biased position on the Cyprus issue,” the ministry said.
The TRNC called on EU institutions to abandon what it described as one-sided political approaches favoring the Greek Cypriot administration and instead adopt a constructive and balanced position based on the realities on the island.
The ministry said such an approach should respect the inherent rights, sovereign equality and equal international status of the Turkish Cypriot people.
The statement added that the TRNC, in full harmony and solidarity with Türkiye, would continue to protect the sovereignty, security and welfare of its people.
It also said Turkish Cyprus would resolutely continue its struggle for the international recognition of its sovereign equality and equal international status.
The Cyprus issue has remained one of the world’s longest-running political disputes and continues to be a major point of tension between Türkiye and the EU.
The island has been divided between Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots for decades despite repeated diplomatic efforts to reach a comprehensive settlement. The issue frequently resurfaces in regional geopolitics and in relations between Türkiye and European institutions.
The peace process has seen several on-and-off attempts in recent years, including a failed 2017 initiative in Switzerland held under the auspices of the guarantor countries, Türkiye, Greece and the U.K.
The Greek Cypriot administration joined the EU in 2004, the same year Greek Cypriots rejected the U.N.-backed Annan Plan, which aimed to end the long-standing dispute.
Turkish Cyprus now supports a settlement based on the sovereign equality and equal international status of the two states on the island. The Greek Cypriot side, backed by the EU, continues to advocate a federation-based solution.
For Ankara and Turkish Cyprus, the EU’s stance has long been viewed as one of the key fault lines in Türkiye-EU and TRNC-EU relations. Turkish officials argue that Brussels has failed to adopt a balanced position, while using the Cyprus issue as political leverage against Türkiye and overlooking the rights and political will of the Turkish Cypriot people.
Defense Minister Yaşar Güler said Friday that Türkiye views the upcoming NATO leaders’ summit in Ankara as a critical milestone that will help shape the alliance’s strategic direction amid an increasingly complex global security environment.
Speaking to Turkish journalists on the sidelines of a NATO defense ministers meeting in Brussels, Güler said the July 7-8 summit in the Turkish capital would be more than a gathering of allied leaders.
“We do not see the Ankara summit merely as a leaders’ meeting,” Güler said. “We believe it will be a significant turning point demonstrating NATO’s determination to adapt to the evolving security environment and shaping its strategic orientation for the future.”
The defense minister meeting, held ahead of the NATO summit, focused on the alliance’s deterrence and defense posture, support for Ukraine and broader security challenges facing member states, Güler said.
He noted that Türkiye had briefed allies on its contributions to NATO, progress toward defense spending commitments, preparations for the Ankara summit and its support for Ukraine.
Güler remarked that NATO currently faces one of the most challenging security environments in its history, citing conventional military threats alongside cyberattacks, hybrid warfare, terrorism, energy security risks and regional instability.
“Türkiye is not only one of NATO’s geographical centers but also an inseparable part of its strategic thinking and operational capacity,” he said.
The minister described Türkiye’s hosting of the summit as a reflection of its military contributions, operational experience and ability to generate security within the alliance. He also highlighted President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s diplomatic efforts, saying Türkiye has maintained a unique position within NATO through its emphasis on dialogue, crisis management and regional stability.
“Our goal is to strengthen NATO’s unity and solidarity, underline our shared commitment to Euro-Atlantic security and contribute to a strategic vision that will make the alliance better prepared for future threats,” Güler stressed.
He added that Ankara expects the summit to reinforce collective defense principles and reaffirm allies’ commitment to Article 5, NATO’s cornerstone mutual defense clause.
Güler also emphasized the growing role of Türkiye’s defense industry in supporting NATO capabilities.
“The success achieved by our defense industry contributes not only to Türkiye’s national security but also to NATO’s collective defense,” he said. “Strong defense industries mean stronger deterrence and a stronger NATO.”
He said a Defense Industry Forum scheduled to take place during the summit would help deepen cooperation among allies and noted that several NATO defense ministers had recently expressed interest in expanding collaboration with Türkiye’s defense sector.
Türkiye, which possesses NATO’s second-largest military, remains one of the alliance’s most active contributors, Güler said, highlighting the country’s involvement in military training, exercises, operations and command-and-control missions.
He noted that Türkiye will assume command of the Allied Reaction Force, one of NATO’s key force structures, in the coming period, describing the move as a sign of Ankara’s reliability and strategic importance within the alliance.
“Türkiye is not merely a country contributing to NATO’s security,” Güler said. “With its military capacity, operational experience and leadership responsibilities, it is among the leading nations shaping the alliance’s deterrence, resilience and future.”
Regional developments
Addressing the war between Russia and Ukraine, Güler said the conflict continues to affect European security architecture, energy security, global trade routes and NATO’s agenda.
He reiterated Türkiye’s support for regional stability in the Black Sea and stressed Ankara’s commitment to implementing the Montreux Convention.
“The stability of the Black Sea is an inseparable part of Euro-Atlantic security,” he said.
Güler also highlighted security challenges affecting NATO’s southern flank, including terrorism, irregular migration, energy-related risks, regional conflicts and hybrid threats.
“Türkiye is among the allies that directly confront regional threats while also making critical contributions at the center of the alliance,” he said.
Turning to developments in the Middle East, Güler welcomed the recently announced agreement aimed at ending hostilities involving Iran, the United States and Israel. He said Türkiye was prepared to support mine-clearing operations in the Strait of Hormuz if necessary and remained committed to safeguarding maritime security and freedom of navigation under international law.
The minister said Ankara continues to advocate dialogue and diplomacy as the preferred means of resolving regional disputes while taking necessary measures to protect its national security.
Güler also criticized a recent defense-related agreement signed between France and the Greek Cypriot administration, describing it as a step that could undermine regional balances and contradict international law.
“Actors that are expected to produce security should avoid actions that deepen regional tensions and instead prioritize dialogue, cooperation and a shared understanding of security,” he said.
He reiterated Türkiye’s commitment to protecting the rights and security of Turkish Cypriots and said any initiative targeting the interests of Türkiye or the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus would have little chance of success.
Concluding his remarks, Güler said Türkiye had become one of the central pillars of regional and trans-Atlantic security.
“There is now a very clear reality,” he said. “Türkiye is not on the periphery of the security architecture; it is at its center. As NATO’s future is shaped, Türkiye will continue to be among the allies that contribute to decisions, assume responsibilities and generate security.”
Türkiye and Spain’s constitutional courts signed a cooperation agreement Tuesday aimed at deepening judicial dialogue, expanding exchanges of expertise and strengthening institutional ties between the two countries.
The agreement was signed in Ankara by Constitutional Court President Kadir Özkaya and Spanish Constitutional Court Vice President Inmaculada Montalbán Huertas following bilateral and delegation-level meetings held during the Spanish delegation’s two-day visit to Türkiye on June 15-16.
The visit followed a working trip by Türkiye’s Constitutional Court to Spain in February, during which both sides agreed to continue reciprocal exchanges and enhance cooperation in the field of constitutional justice.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Özkaya welcomed the growing ties between the two courts, describing them as a reflection of the longstanding friendship and cooperation between Türkiye and Spain.
He said joint efforts carried out within international platforms, including the World Conference on Constitutional Justice and the Conference of European Constitutional Courts, had played an important role in reinforcing cooperation and strengthening mutual relations.
Özkaya also highlighted Spain’s influence on Türkiye’s constitutional complaint mechanism, noting that the Spanish Constitutional Court’s model served as one of the key references during the establishment of Türkiye’s individual application system, which was introduced in 2012.
“The individual application mechanism has become one of the fundamental pillars of Türkiye’s constitutional order,” Özkaya said, adding that it has contributed significantly to the protection of fundamental rights and freedoms and the strengthening of the rule of law.
He praised Spain’s Constitutional Court as a respected institution in the field of constitutional adjudication and said its contributions to human rights protection, democratic constitutional order and the rule of law were widely recognized internationally.
Özkaya also pointed to ongoing global conflicts and humanitarian crises, saying they underscored the importance of safeguarding human rights and international law. Referring to the humanitarian situation in Palestine, he said it was essential for the international community to continue voicing support for the protection of civilians and universal legal principles.
“We closely follow and appreciate Spain’s sensitivity, as well as that of Spanish legal circles, regarding the protection of international law and human rights,” he said.
For her part, Huertas expressed appreciation for the hospitality shown by the Turkish Constitutional Court and said reciprocal visits would further strengthen the existing friendship and institutional bonds between the two courts.
She said exchanges of experience and judicial dialogue would contribute to the development of constitutional justice and voiced confidence that the newly signed agreement would elevate bilateral cooperation to a higher level.
Huertas added that Spain remained committed to maintaining constructive dialogue with Türkiye and expanding cooperation through joint projects and future visits.
The deployment of SAMP/T air defense system by Italy in central Türkiye’s Konya was completed on Thursday, the Ministry of National Defense announced. The ministry said it was part of NATO’s permanent defense plan for reinforcing the alliance’s air defense.
The SAMP-T (Sol-Air Moyenne Portée/Terrestre) is a next-generation medium- and long-range air and missile defense system jointly developed by Italy and France. It is designed to counter a broad range of aerial threats, including aircraft, helicopters, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and tactical ballistic missiles.
The system employs advanced Aster 15 and Aster 30 interceptor missiles and provides 360-degree air defense coverage. Considered as a cornerstone of Italy’s air defense network, the SAMP-T is mounted on highly mobile wheeled platforms, allowing for rapid deployment and operational readiness.
Equipped with multifunction radar systems such as the Arabel radar or the newer Kronos radar, the system can simultaneously track and engage multiple targets. It is also designed to maintain high effectiveness in electronic warfare environments while protecting military units and critical infrastructure from air and missile threats.
NATO stepped up security on its southwestern flank in light of the U.S.-Israel-Iran war and the alliance’s defense systems intercepted several missiles during the conflict which began in February. In March, an additional Patriot missile battery was deployed in a military base in southern Türkiye’s Adana by NATO.
SAMP/T is deployed at Third Main Jet Base in Konya, a major base of the Turkish Air Forces at the heartland of Türkiye.
The ministry said that at the same time, the country was working on development of local air defense systems “given the changing threat environment.”
The statement said Siper air defense system of the Turkish Air Forces launched a test on June 12 in the northern province of Sinop and successfully destroyed Super Lightning drone, a locally-made unmanned vehicle with high speed and maneuvering ability. The ministry pointed out that it was part of the work to further enhance the Steel Dome project, “to boost our country’s multi-layered air and missile defense capacity, deterrence and ensure that our national security measures are at their highest level.”
The ministry’s weekly news briefing was held in the Ankara headquarters of the Turkish Aerospace Industries (TUSAŞ) on Thursday, on the occasion of the 53rd anniversary of the defense giant. Speaking there, the ministry’s spokesman Brigadier Admiral Zeki Aktürk said authentic platforms and high-tech products developed by TUSAŞ made significant contributions to the Turkish Armed Forces, to development of defense power. Aktürk stated that TUSAŞ’ engineering capabilities, production capacity and innovative approach reinforced Türkiye’s standing in global defense industry.
TUSAŞ’ compound in Ankara’s Kahramankazan district is home to several strategic projects, from the fifth-generation fighter jet KAAN, first locally-made training jet Hürjet, first next-generation training plane Hürkuş, unmanned aerial vehicles ANKA, Aksungur and Super Lightning to Gökbey and Atak helicopters.
Aktürk said Hürkuş and Gökbey were expected to be commissioned by the Turkish Air Forces later this year.
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