Turkey: The Third Gulf Axis Of Power

I. Historical & Strategic Context

Turkey has long viewed itself as a bridge between Europe, the Middle East, and Central Asia, but in recent years, it has evolved into a military-industrial powerhouse with global reach. No longer a passive NATO border state, Turkey under Erdoğan is increasingly projecting influence:

• North Africa (Libya)
• The Caucasus (Azerbaijan-Armenia war)
• Levant and Gulf (Qatar, Iraq, Syria)
• East Africa (Somalia, Red Sea bases)

Strategic Shift: From reactive defense to neo-Ottoman influence projection, blending soft and hard power.

II. Defense Industry as a Foreign Policy Weapon

Turkey is one of the world’s top 10 arms exporters—a remarkable shift over the past decade. Key defense assets include:

Bayraktar TB2 & Akinci Drones

• Used in Libya, Syria, Nagorno-Karabakh, and Ukraine with lethal efficiency
• Proven value: Affordable, modular, and swarm-capable
• Exported to over 30 countries

Domestic Naval Power

• TCG Anadolu: Turkey’s first aircraft carrier (drone carrier)
• Development of homegrown submarines, corvettes, and missile boats
• Naval projection into Red Sea and Gulf waters via bases in Qatar and Somalia

Roketsan & ASELSAN Weapon Systems

• Indigenous missile tech (SOM cruise missiles, surface-to-air platforms)
• Electronic warfare, SIGINT, and AI-based C4ISR platforms

III. Turkey’s Military Footprint in the Gulf & Red Sea

Qatar: The Core Gulf Ally

• Permanent Turkish base in Qatar (Tariq bin Ziyad Base) since the 2017 Gulf blockade
• Trains Qatari military officers and provides a counterbalance to Saudi-UAE axis
• Shared interests in Islamic soft power and Muslim Brotherhood-aligned networks

Somalia & Horn of Africa

• Camp TURKSOM: Largest Turkish overseas base, training Somali forces
• Gateway to Red Sea, Indian Ocean routes, and Gulf of Aden chokepoints
• Turkey is viewed by local governments as an alternative to Western and Chinese influence

Levant & Iraq

• Deep involvement in northern Iraq operations (anti-PKK) and northern Syria
• Construction of semi-permanent military zones near Mosul and Afrin
• Facilitates indirect influence over Kurdish and Shia corridors leading into Iran and the Gulf

IV. Strategic Military Doctrine: Asymmetric, Exportable, Agile

Turkey’s emerging doctrine can be summarized as “Agile Strategic Presence”:

• Exportable Firepower: Drones, missiles, and electronic systems designed for “plug-and-play” use by allies and proxies
• Hybrid Warfare: Combines conventional operations with proxies (e.g., Syrian militias), drones, cyber ops, and psychological warfare
• Strategic Basing: Establishing forward bases without requiring full occupation—training partners, guarding ports, building schools and airfields

V. Strategic Recommendations: How Turkey Can Solidify Gulf Influence

1. Expand Naval Presence into Western Gulf
   • Leverage Qatar to co-develop naval facilities
   • Introduce drone naval platforms in Hormuz-Red Sea corridor
2. Create a Turkish-Gulf Defense Education Exchange
   • Offer military academies in Africa and Asia under Turkish branding
   • Counterbalance Western training programs with Islamic-friendly curriculum
3. Cyber-Islamic Coalition
   • Build digital alliances with Muslim-majority countries (Malaysia, Indonesia, Pakistan) using shared AI, cyberdefense, and drone doctrine
   • Present this as a “non-aligned Islamic defense bloc”
4. Weaponize Infrastructure
   • Package military presence with hospitals, mosques, infrastructure deals
   • Lock in multi-domain loyalty among unstable regimes (Sudan, Djibouti, Libya)

Table comparison with UAE & Saudi Arabia

Dimension	Turkey	UAE	Saudi Arabia
Military Doctrine	Agile & Hybrid Warfare	Tech-first asymmetric deterrence	Strategic autonomy, conventional
Regional Ally	Qatar, Somalia	Egypt, Jordan, Israel (informal)	Pakistan, Egypt, Jordan
Defense Industry	Drones, missiles, naval	Drones, EW, AI weapons	Land vehicles, missiles, MRO
Influence Method	Proxy warfare + soft power	Tech diplomacy + training	Arms deals + economic leverage

Sidenote: Hi guys, im trying my best to pump out the content. Life has been hectic lately.