Turkish Air Force
Air forces of the Turkish military / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The Turkish Air Force (Turkish: Türk Hava Kuvvetleri) is the aerial warfare service branch of the Turkish Armed Forces. It traces its origins to 1 June 1911 when it was founded as the Aviation Squadrons by the Ottoman Empire.[5] It was composed of the Army Aviation Squadrons founded in 1911, and the Naval Aviation Squadrons founded in 1914 which used seaplanes. The Air Force as a branch of the Turkish Armed Forces was founded by the Grand National Assembly of Turkey on 23 April 1920.[1]
In 1998, the Turkish Armed Forces announced a program of modernization worth US$160 billion over a twenty-year period in various projects,[6] with $45 billion earmarked for the overhaul of the Turkish Air Force, and included the commissioning new combat aircraft (consisting of multi-role and fifth generation stealth fighters) and helicopters (consisting of heavy lift, attack, medium lift and light general purpose helicopters).[7]
As of 2023[update], according to International Institute for Strategic Studies, the Turkish Air Force has an active strength of 50,000 military personnel and operates approximately 295 manned fixed-wing aircraft, 35 helicopters, and 52 unmanned aerial vehicles.[8]: 143–144 In terms of aircraft quantity, it is the largest air force in Europe.[8]: 51
The world's first black pilot, Ahmet Ali Çelikten,[9] and the world's first female fighter pilot, Sabiha Gökçen,[10] both served in the Turkish Air Force.