244 Turkey and the World
 
Turkey and the World 245  
 
   
 
 
  
  
  Turkish Armed Forces as well as effective conduct of military operations. The Chief of the General Staff is appointed by the President and responsible to the Prime Minister in the exercise of his duties and powers. In times of war, he performs the duty of Commander-in-Chief on behalf of the President. The commanders of the three services report directly to the Chief of the General Staff.  
 

The Office of the Chief of the General Staff formulates the National Military Strategy in accordance with the National Security Policy Document, develops the operational concepts in line with the National Military Strategy and identifies the needs and requirements as well as the priorities of the armed forces in line with the principles set forth by these documents.

 
The Ministry of National Defense is responsible for the recruitment of soldiers, procurement of weapons, equipment and all sorts of logistical materiel, and defense industry services during times of peace and war within the framework of the defense policy  formulated by the Council of Ministers
 

 
  and in line with the principles, priorities and main programs set by the Office of the Chief of the General Staff. The National Defense Minister fulfills these duties through the Undersecretariat and other affiliated institutions to the Ministry as well as Land Forces, Navy and Air Force Commands.  
 
The National Security Council, on the other hand, discusses decisions regarding the shape and implementation of national defense policies and reports the conclusions to the government.
 
National resources meet the defense oriented needs of the Turkish Armed Forces. The main sources financing the modernization activities of the armed forces are either funds allotted from the national budget or non-budgetary resources. The latter includes the Defense Industry Development and Support Fund and the State Firm Loans paid back by the Treasury.
 
The Turkish Armed Forces is taking pains to procure its modernization needs from the national industry as much as possible. At present, the Turkish defense industry com-panies, particularly those engaged in the main branches of the sector such as aerospace and rocketry, military electronics, naval shipbuilding, armored vehicles and production of all sorts of ammunition, have reached the level of manufacturing and developing through domestic resources a great majority of the systems and equipment the armed forces need. In fact, as new systems employing the latest technology are entering the inventory of the Turkish Armed Forces, the positive effects of the technological accumulation achieved by the main and side industries on the training of qualified manpower and the spreading use of new technologies are clearly visible.
 
Modernization activities within the framework of the defense and security policies outlined here actually strengthen Turkey’s position to fulfill its NATO commitments, to make contributions to the European Security and Defense Policy and to provide security for its region.