Turkish Armed Forces Foundation

The Turkish Armed Forces Foundation (Turkish: Türk Silahlı Kuvvetlerini Güçlendirme Vakfı, TSKGV) is a Turkish foundation established on 17 June 1987 by Law No. 3388, which merged three earlier support foundations for the Land, Naval, and Air Forces. It began operations on 26 September 1987. The Foundation is unique among similar organizations in Turkey in that it was created by a special law. Its mission is to strengthen the Turkish Armed Forces, promote the development of a national defense industry capable of producing weapons and equipment locally, and reduce dependence on foreign sources. TSKGV operates through a network of regional representatives and honorary promotion committees. It has regional representative offices in Istanbul, Izmir, Mersin, Erzurum, and Ankara, totaling five. Honorary Promotion Committees (Fahri Tanıtım Kurulları, FTK) are active in 81 provinces and 912 districts across Turkey, under the honorary chairmanship of governors and district governors, with members drawn from local volunteers. FTK members have also opened offices in 13 different regions within Turkey and in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). The Foundation's donor profile is diverse, and it maintains a broad stakeholder network. It supports its activities through public donations and contributions. TSKGV is affiliated with a number of companies in the defense and industrial sectors. Its affiliated companies include Aselsan, Tusaş (Turkish Aerospace Industries), Havelsan, Roketsan, İşbir, Aspilsan, Türk Traktör, Ditaş, Netas, Mercedes-Benz Türk, Tusaş Engine Industries (TEI), Heş, and HTR. Indirectly affiliated companies include Defense Technologies Engineering and Trade Inc. (STM), Mikrofon, Ahsim, and Esdaş. Through these participations, TSKGV plays a central role in Turkey's defense industrial ecosystem, providing capital and strategic direction to key national champions in electronics, aerospace, missiles, software, and land vehicles. The Foundation also engages in public outreach, attending events such as the NATO Summit Defense Industry Forum 2026 and the FenTECH 2026 Science, Technology and Innovation Festival, and opening new regional offices such as the Erzurum Regional Representation. As a foundation established by special law, TSKGV is not a publicly traded company but a private, non-profit entity with a public mission. Its headquarters are in Ankara, Turkey. The Foundation continues to support the Turkish Armed Forces through its industrial holdings and fundraising activities.

The Turkish Armed Forces Foundation (TSKGV) was formed through the merger of three separate support foundations that had been established at different times to aid the Land, Naval, and Air Forces. The earliest predecessor, the Naval Society (Bahriye Cemiyeti), was founded on 19 July 1909 as the "Nevval-i Hümayun Muavenet-i Milliye." Later, on 11 May 1965, the Turkish Naval Society was established. This society was closed on 6 February 1972, and the Turkish Naval Foundation was created on 11 March 1972 to "strengthen the Turkish Naval Forces and provide material and moral support to the Turkish nation." On 16 October 1981, its name was changed to the Turkish Naval Forces Foundation. On 16 July 1970, the Turkish Air Force Foundation was established with the aim of "strengthening the capabilities of the Turkish Air Force by developing the national aviation industry, purchasing air weapons and vehicles, and improving the protection of vital targets from the air." In 1974, following the Cyprus Peace Operation and the arms embargo imposed on Turkey, the slogan "Make your own weapons" was raised, and on 27 August 1974, the Turkish Land Forces Foundation was established with donations from the people. Subsequently, with the aim of strengthening the armed forces, establishing a defense industry capable of producing weapons and equipment locally, and reducing dependence on foreign sources, the Turkish Armed Forces Foundation was established on 17 June 1987 by merging the three support foundations. It began operations on 26 September 1987. The merger was enacted through Law No. 3388. TSKGV is the only foundation among similar organizations in Turkey that was established by a special law. Since its founding, TSKGV has grown into a central pillar of Turkey's defense industrial base. It holds participations in major defense companies such as Aselsan, Tusaş, Havelsan, Roketsan, and STM, among others. The Foundation also maintains a nationwide network of honorary promotion committees and regional representatives to engage the public and raise funds. In recent years, it has continued to expand its outreach, opening new regional offices and participating in high-level defense industry events.

• Establishment of the Naval Society (Nevval-i Hümayun Muavenet-i Milliye), an early predecessor.

• Establishment of the Turkish Naval Society.

• Establishment of the Turkish Air Force Foundation.

• Closure of the Turkish Naval Society.

• Establishment of the Turkish Naval Foundation.

• Establishment of the Turkish Land Forces Foundation following the Cyprus Peace Operation and arms embargo.

• Renaming of the Turkish Naval Foundation to the Turkish Naval Forces Foundation.

• Establishment of the Turkish Armed Forces Foundation by Law No. 3388, merging the three support foundations.

• TSKGV began operations.

A foundation established by special law to strengthen the Turkish Armed Forces and develop the national defense industry through strategic holdings and public support.

• Aselsan

• Tusaş (Turkish Aerospace Industries)

• Havelsan

• Roketsan

• İşbir

• Aspilsan

• Türk Traktör

• Ditaş

• Netas

• Mercedes-Benz Türk

• Tusaş Engine Industries (TEI)

• Heş

• HTR

• STM (Defense Technologies Engineering and Trade Inc.)

• Mikrofon

• Ahsim

• Esdaş

1. 1Anasayfa - TSKGV Türk Silahlı Kuvvetlerini Güçlendirme Vakfıtskgv.org.tr
2. 2Turkish Armed Forces Foundation - Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3مؤسسة القوات المسلحة التركية - Wikipedia (Arabic)ar.wikipedia.org