The Operational Capacity of Turkish Intelligence within the Scope of Use of High-Technology Products

Abstract

This study evaluates the increasing operational capacity of the Turkish National Intelligence Organization (Millî İstihbarat Teşkilatı, MİT) within the scope of the high-technology products Türkiye has been developing, especially in the last 10 years. Türkiye’s Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) program has made a significant contribution to MİT’s operational power and to Türkiye’s military capacity. MİT has effectively used armed and unarmed UAVs in counter-terrorism activities in Türkiye, Syria, and Iraq; it can obtain instant intelligence relating to terrorist targets and plan operational activities via effective Electronic Intelligence (ELINT) and Signal Intelligence (SIGINT) collection methods. The espionage provision that enables political decision-makers to make real-time decisions based on this intelligence plays a great role in determining Türkiye’s regional policy strategies. Another hightech advance that contributes significantly to MİT’s operational capacity is the Intelligence, Test, and Training ship, the Turkish Coast Guard (TCG) Ufuk, Türkiye’s first national intelligence ship. As of January 2022, the use of the TCG Ufuk began to significantly increase MİT’s technical intelligence capacity. This article analyzes the contribution of Türkiye’s increasing capacity to develop high-tech products to the operational efficiency of Turkish intelligence, along with the intelligence cycle model followed by MİT within the scope of Türkiye’s counter-terrorism and foreign espionage activities.