Turkey assumes key role in NATO with second largest army and strategic mind

National Defense Ministry sources stated that Turkey has the second largest army in NATO and is a central ally in the alliance's security architecture with its military and diplomatic strength.

Turkey has stood out as one of the most critical members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) since joining in 1952. According to an assessment by National Defense Ministry sources provided to Anadolu Agency (AA), Ankara positions itself as a strategic actor in NATO with a dynamic "security production" model, rather than being a static member.

Ministry sources state that the threat created by the Soviet Union's demands on the Turkish Straits and eastern provinces lies at the root of Turkey's entry into NATO. Following the outbreak of the Korean War, Turkey responded to the United Nations' call on July 25, 1950, becoming the first country after the US to declare its intention to send ground forces.

Process from the Korean War to official membership

The success of Turkish troops in Korea galvanized Washington. On May 15, 1951, the US sent a letter to other NATO members recommending Turkey's admission into the alliance. In the same year, from September 16-20, the NATO Council of Ministers met in Ottawa and unanimously decided to invite Turkey to the organization.

The accession protocol was signed on October 17, 1951. Law No. 5886 on the participation of the Republic of Turkey in the North Atlantic Treaty came into effect on February 18, 1952, and Turkey officially became a NATO member. On March 1 of the same year, during the Lisbon Conference, the Turkish flag was hoisted at the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) under General Eisenhower's command, in a ceremony attended by then Foreign Minister Fuat Köprülü.

Second largest army and wide range of operations

Turkey, possessing the second largest army in NATO, contributes to alliance missions and operations in Afghanistan, Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Libya, and Iraq. Unlike many European allies, Turkey has maintained and increased its military capacity after the Cold War due to counterterrorism and instability in the Middle East.

Turkey, which served under the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan from 2002-2014, took part in the Resolute Support Mission (RSM) from 2015 onward. The Turkish military unit that assumed security of Hamid Karzai International Airport under RSM successfully completed its mission and returned home after the NATO operation ended on August 28, 2021.

A Turkish contingent of approximately 40 personnel that joined the NATO Mission Iraq (NMI) in 2018 supported the capacity building of the Iraqi army. After the withdrawal that began in March due to deteriorating security conditions, Turkey continues to contribute with three personnel to the mission's continuation with a minimum cadre in Naples.

Turkey's NATO engagement from the seas to the Balkans

The Turkish Navy is the navy that contributes the most among 32 allied countries to NATO’s Operation Sea Guardian (OSG) launched in the Mediterranean in 2016. Turkey has commanded Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 (SNMG2) five times and Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group 2 (SNMCMG2) seven times. Its latest command duties took place in 2025.

Turkey, which assumed command of KFOR for the second time since 2023, contributed to regional stability by sending a reserve battalion four times following the 2022 events. Currently, with approximately 3,000 troops, support is provided to operations such as KFOR, Sea Guardian, combating irregular migration in the Aegean, Allied Response Force (ARF), and NATO integrated air defense systems.

From exercises to technological leap

The Turkish Armed Forces participated in 34 NATO exercises in 2023, 39 in 2024, and 50 in 2025. The Steadfast Dart exercise held in Germany from February 12-24 this year involved the Anatolian Task Group under Turkish navy command, including over 2,000 personnel. During the exercise, a TB-3 unmanned aerial vehicle launched from the TCG Anadolu ship successfully struck a target over the Baltic Sea. This event entered military literature as the first example of a drone launched from a ship participating in a live-fire exercise.

Ministry sources emphasize that systems such as 'Steel Dome,' 'KAAN,' and 'Altay' have made Turkey not just a country strengthening its own defense capacity, but a key participant contributing to NATO's technological superiority. Allocating 2.33 percent of its gross domestic product to defense in 2025, Turkey is among the countries bearing the highest financial and military responsibility within the alliance.

Historic summit in Ankara and ARF command

The NATO heads of state and government summit to be held in Ankara on July 7-8, 2026 is regarded as an indication of Turkey's diplomatic weight and recognized leadership within the alliance. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's leadership diplomacy, Turkey's military power, and its contributions to the alliance are expected to come to the forefront at the summit.

Turkey, which will assume command of the Allied Response Force (ARF), NATO's most critical force, from 2028 onward, is also shown among the members that adapt fastest to the alliance's changing threat perception with its capabilities in artificial intelligence, cyber defense, and space. The Unmanned Systems Center of Excellence, whose establishment began on April 30, 2024, will be the third NATO center of excellence hosted by Turkey.

Multidimensional contribution from the Black Sea to Africa

Within the alliance's 'deterrence and defense' concept, Turkey is one of the few allies that can manage a rapid response force at the operational level, together with the US, UK, Spain, Italy, and France. At the same time, Ankara, which pioneered the reactivation of the NATO Liaison Office at the African Union headquarters on March 9, 2022, carries out tasks including maritime security and aviation in Georgia, deputy main group commander in Jordan, and defense capacity building advisory in Moldova, Mauritania, and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Ministry sources note that Turkey adopts a '360-degree' approach to threats, contributes to global stability beyond its geographical borders, and acts as a balancing element that manages conflicts with a balanced and constructive stance rather than an escalator in regional crises. The Turkish Navy, which held command of the Black Sea Task Group for the 2024-2028 period, has also assumed command of the Amphibious Task Group and Landing Forces within the ARF Maritime Component Command for 2025-2026.