Türkiye will showcase its new next-generation military hub, Ay Yildiz (Crescent Star) Joint Headquarters, designed to centralise the country’s defence leadership, during next week’s NATO summit in Ankara.
The foundation of the headquarters was laid on August 30, 2021, with the participation of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and most of the rough construction has now been completed.
The Ay Yildiz Joint Headquarters will consolidate the command structure of the Turkish Armed Forces in a single complex, bringing together the National Defence Ministry, the General Staff, and the commands of the Land, Naval and Air Forces in one location, while making strategic contributions to joint operations and command capabilities.
Inspired by the crescent and star of the Turkish flag, the complex was designed to meet both current and future needs of the Turkish military at the highest level, with its distinctive architecture, smart building concept, environmentally friendly structure and advanced technological infrastructure.
Equipped with cutting-edge technologies ranging from cybersecurity and ballistic protection to measures against Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) threats, as well as advanced engineering solutions, the project is expected to become one of the world’s model military headquarters. Its security architecture is further reinforced by measures aligned with the “Steel Dome” concept.
Strategic hub
The Ay Yildiz Headquarters will serve as a strategic hub that strengthens the institutional integration of the National Defence Ministry, enhances the Turkish military’s joint operational capabilities and embodies Türkiye’s defence vision under the “Century of Türkiye” goals.
The headquarters, which recently opened its doors to members of the press during the National Defence Ministry’s weekly press briefing, will host its first official event as part of the NATO Heads of State and Government Summit to be held in Ankara on July 7-8.
As part of the summit, a reception will be held at the Ay Yildiz Headquarters in honour of visiting defence ministers and senior NATO officials.
The reception is planned to take place in the “Star” section of the complex.
