The Transformations in Turkish Military Doctrine after 2018: A Study of Strategic Determinants and Defense and Security Priorities
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.64184/ajlps.V2.I4.Y2025.P1091-1108.264Keywords:
Turkey – Military Doctrine – Transformations – Defense and Security Priorities – Strategic DeterminantsAbstract
Since the failed coup attempt on July 15, 2016, the Republic of Turkey has undergone a profound transformation in its security and military structure. This transformation reached its peak after the 2018 elections, which marked the full transition to a presidential system under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Turkey redefined its military doctrine to align with both regional and domestic developments, focusing on self-reliance in defense manufacturing, expanding the scope of pre-emptive operations beyond its borders, and modernizing its concept of regional deterrence. After 2018, the Turkish military doctrine has been based on two main pillars:
First, the determinants of the Turkish military doctrine and the enhancement of autonomous operational capabilities through the development of domestic defense industries.
Second, the Turkish defense and security priorities, which involve adopting the principle of cross-border operations as a tool to combat threats in its geopolitical environment—particularly in northern Syria and Iraq. This shift reflects the transformation of the Turkish army from a traditional defensive force into one with a flexible and dynamic offensive dimension. It also includes restructuring the command and control system within the Turkish Armed Forces to ensure the full loyalty of the military institution to the elected civilian authority, thereby limiting the risk of political interference by the military establishment.
References
قائمة المصادر
أ: المصادر باللغة العربية
اولا: الكتب:
1- ايمان ابراهيم وندي, العقيدة العسكرية التركية الجديدة, مركز الحقول للدراسات والنشر, قطر, 2022 .
2- حرب ال12 يوم دروس لتركيا, الاكاديمية الوطنية للاستخبارات, تركيا, انقره, 2025.
3- طارق القزق, القوة الصلبة التركية الرؤي والتطبيقات, المركز الديمقراطي العربي للدراسات الاستراتيجية والسياسية والاقتصادية, برلين, 2018.
4- عامر مصباح, نظريات علم الاستراتيجية, الجزء الثاني, دار الكتاب الحديث, الجزائر, 2023.
ثانيا: المجلات:
1- علي حسين حميد ونضال جهاد حميد، استراتيجية الدفاع التركي: دراسة تحليلية في الأدوار الاستخباراتية، مجلة قضايا سياسية، العدد 76، كلية العلوم السياسية، جامعة النهرين، العراق، 2024.
2- ورده عبد الرزاق محمد وآخرون، موقف تركيا من الرؤية لبنية النظام الدولي، مجلة كلية السياسة والاقتصاد، العدد 26، كلية السياسة والاقتصاد، جامعة بني سويف، مصر، 2025.
ثالثا: المواقع الالكترونية:
1- اسراء سيد, القبة الفولاذية والملاجىء النووية .. اين تتجه العقيدة العسكرية الدفاعية التركية, نون بوست, 2025, على الموقع الالكتروني , https://share.google/lnDV1XmTszjJJ2xpf
2- الجمهورية التركية, وزارة الدفاع, وزير الدفاع الوطني يشار غولر يجتمع مع وزير الدفاع السوري ووزير الخارجية ومدير المخابرات, 2025، https://www.msb.gov.tr/SlaytHaber/492ac15e72744d109d7c3d989f6310db
3- غدي قنديل, السيناريوهات المحتملة لمستقبل العلاقات التركية – الاسرائيلية, المصري اليوم, على الموقع الالكتروني , https://www.msn.com/ar-eg/news/featured .
4- مرتضى صالح, المعايير الازدواجية لدى الولايات المتحدة, 2024, على الموقع الالكتروني , https://almutalee.com/article/%D9%85%D8%B1%D8%AA%D8%B6%
5- نور الدين سليم, شركة أسيلسان التركية تحتفل بالذكرى الخمسين بتحقيق أرقام قياسية, موقع الدفاع العربي, على الموقع الالكتروني https://www.defense-arabic.com/2025/02/26 ,
6- يحيى شمص, تقرير سرّي عن حرب الـ 12 يوماً: هل يستعدّ أردوغان لاحتمال تكرار سيناريو إيران-إسرائيل، النهار العربي , على الموقع الالكتروني, https://www.annahar.com/international/Turkey/235726 .
7- يمان دلاتي, من المسيرات الى السيبرانية الدروس التركية من حرب ايران و (الكيان الاسرائيلي), دراسة, نون بوست, 2025, على الموقع الالكتروني, https://www.noonpost.com/326135/ .
ب: المصادر باللغة الاجنبية
1- Aaron Stein, The US-Turkey-NATO Triangle: The End of a Strategic Relationship? Washington, D.C, Atlantic Council, 2019.
2- Akgünİlhan and others, Turkey’s Water Policy, National Frameworks and International Cooperation Berlin, 2021.
3- BehlülÖzkan, Turkey’s Imperial Fantasy, Foreign Affairs, 2020.
4- Can Kasapoğlu, Turkey’s Military Strategy in the 21st Century, EDAM Discussion Paper Series, 2020.
References List
A. Arabic Sources
First: Books
1. Iman Ibrahim Wandi, The New Turkish Military Doctrine, Al-Haqool Center for Studies and Publishing, Qatar, 2022.
2. The 12-Day War: Lessons for Turkey, National Intelligence Academy, Ankara, Turkey, 2025.
3. Tarek Al-Qazzaq, Turkey’s Hard Power: Vision and Applications, The Arab Democratic Center for Strategic, Political, and Economic Studies, Berlin, 2018.
4. Amer Musbah, Theories of Strategic Science, Part Two, Dar Al-Kitab Al-Hadith, Algeria, 2023.
Second: Journals
1. Ali Hussein Hameed and Nidal Jihad Hameed, “Turkish Defense Strategy: An Analytical Study of Intelligence Roles,” Political Issues Journal, No. 76, College of Political Science, Al-Nahrain University, Iraq, 2024.
2. Warda Abdul-Razzaq Mohammed et al., “Turkey’s Position on the Vision of the International System Structure,” Journal of the Faculty of Politics and Economics, No. 26, Faculty of Politics and Economics, Beni Suef University, Egypt, 2025.
Third: Electronic Sources
1. Israa Sayyid, “The Iron Dome and Nuclear Shelters: Where Is the Turkish Defensive Military Doctrine Heading?”, Noon Post, 2025, available at: https://share.google/lnDV1XmTszjJJ2xpf
2. Republic of Turkey, Ministry of Defense, “National Defense Minister Yaşar Güler Meets with the Syrian Defense Minister, the Foreign Minister, and the Intelligence Chief,” 2025, available at: https://www.msb.gov.tr/SlaytHaber/492ac15e72744d109d7c3d989f6310db
3. Ghadi Qandil, “Possible Scenarios for the Future of Turkish–Israeli Relations,” Al-Masry Al-Youm, available at: https://www.msn.com/ar-eg/news/featured
4. Murtadha Saleh, “The United States’ Double Standards,” 2024, available at: https://almutalee.com/article/%D9%85%D8%B1%D8%AA%D8%B6%
5. Nour Al-Din Saleem, “Turkish Company ASELSAN Celebrates Its 50th Anniversary with Record Achievements,” Defense Arabic, available at: https://www.defense-arabic.com/2025/02/26
6. Yahya Shams, “A Secret Report on the 12-Day War: Is Erdoğan Preparing for a Repeat of the Iran–Israel Scenario?”, Annahar Al-Arabi, available at: https://www.annahar.com/international/Turkey/235726
7. Yaman Dalati, “From Drones to Cyber Warfare: Turkish Lessons from the Iran–Israel War,” Noon Post, 2025, available at: https://www.noonpost.com/326135/
B. Foreign Sources
1. Aaron Stein, The US-Turkey-NATO Triangle: The End of a Strategic Relationship?, Washington, D.C., Atlantic Council, 2019.
2. İlhan Akgün and others, Turkey’s Water Policy: National Frameworks and International Cooperation, Berlin, 2021.
3. Behlül Özkan, Turkey’s Imperial Fantasy, Foreign Affairs, 2020.
.4 Can Kasapoğlu, Turkey’s Military Strategy in the 21st Century, EDAM Discussion Paper Series, 2020.
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