Turkey’s Military and Defense Policies

Abstract

In the post-9/11 era and now in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the meaning of security and the means of ensuring it have radically changed. As a NATO member state situated in a geography that poses multiple threats to its security and even existence, Turkey seeks to maintain its own domestic and regional security while contributing to a global environment of peace and order. The unique threats posed to Turkey by domestic and regional terrorism and the ongoing conflict in Syria in particular have prompted Ankara to invest in projects focused on the development of new technologies and, more broadly, in improvements in the country’s indigenous defense industry. This article highlights a number of these projects, along with the factors that contribute to Turkey’s present security outlook.