Turkish Armed Forces

The Turkish Armed Forces (Türk Silahlı Kuvvetleri or TSK) are the military forces of the Republic of Turkey. They consist of three main arms: the Turkish Army, the Turkish Air Force, and the Turkish Navy.

Structure

In addition to the three main arms, the Turkish Armed Forces also include:

* The Turkish Gendarmerie
* The Turkish Coast Guard

History

The modern Turkish Armed Forces were established after the fall of the Ottoman Empire and the establishment of the Republic of Turkey under Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. The armed forces replaced the Ottoman army and have since undergone several reorganizations, including a major modernization effort in the 1980s.

Membership in NATO

Turkey has been a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) since 18 February 1952. This membership has led to significant modernization and reorganization efforts within the Turkish Armed Forces.

Size and Composition

As of 2015, the Turkish Armed Forces had approximately 639,551 soldiers in regular service, making them one of the largest military forces in NATO after the United States. Turkey also maintains a significant presence on the island of Cyprus, with around 37,000 troops stationed in the northern part.

Leadership

The head of the Turkish Armed Forces is the General Commander, who is responsible for overseeing the entire military establishment.

See Also

* Ottoman Empire
* Republic of Turkey
* Mustafa Kemal Atatürk
* North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)

Note: I've kept the original sources' language-specific spellings and terminology where possible to maintain consistency with each source's original content.