By Bosphorus News Defense Desk
Türkiye's Ministry of National Defense (MSB) said the planned electricity cable between Greece and the Republic of Cyprus must be coordinated in advance with Ankara where work crosses areas Türkiye claims as its continental shelf. The ministry said it would not permit unauthorized activity in those areas.
The October 1 briefing also covered the Republic of Cyprus' military parade, the Mecca Defense Alliance, the Bashiqa-Zilkan handover in Iraq, new weapons and aircraft, military contacts with Greece and October exercises.
"Under international law, any cable or pipeline laying or scientific research activity to be carried out on our continental shelf must be coordinated in advance with our country as the coastal state.
Our country will not permit any unauthorized activity on our continental shelf within the rights and powers arising from its status as a coastal state in the continental shelf shaped by the Maritime Jurisdiction Delimitation Agreements we have concluded with the TRNC and Libya in the Eastern Mediterranean and declared to the United Nations on March 18, 2020."
Türkiye's Ministry of National Defense, Bosphorus News translation
GSI cable route
MSB was responding to a question on the route of the electricity cable between Greece and the Republic of Cyprus. Ankara based its position on its maritime delimitation agreements with the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) and Libya and on continental shelf coordinates it notified to the United Nations on March 18, 2020.
The warning adds to the Great Sea Interconnector file tracked by Bosphorus News, in which Ankara has insisted that work affecting areas it claims as continental shelf requires prior coordination.
Republic of Cyprus military parade
MSB said it had closely followed the Republic of Cyprus' military parade and objected to the Republic's armament programs and military cooperation with third countries. The ministry said those steps could damage what it called the island's sensitive balance and the environment for confidence-building.
It also accused the Republic of Cyprus and Greece of "provocative actions" that increase tension.
Mecca Defense Alliance
MSB confirmed that the chiefs of general staff of Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan met in Riyadh on September 25 under the Mecca Defense Alliance.
The ministry said the three military chiefs discussed expanding cooperation among their armed forces, increasing coordination and capability integration and strengthening deterrence and collective defense.
Iraq and Bashiqa-Zilkan
MSB said the Bashiqa-Zilkan installation used by Turkish forces since 2015 will be transferred gradually to Iraqi authorities under an agreed mechanism and timetable as Baghdad advances security measures in Sinjar.
The move follows the Türkiye-Iraq agreement linking the Bashiqa-Zilkan handover to security progress in Sinjar. MSB said Türkiye would continue supporting the Iraqi Armed Forces through military training, counterterrorism experience-sharing, capacity-building and defense industry cooperation.
"Her fabrika bir kaledir"
The briefing was held at the 2nd Air Maintenance Factory Directorate in Kayseri, established in 1926 as Türkiye's first aircraft factory. Rear Adm. Zeki Aktürk quoted Mustafa Kemal Atatürk's phrase "Her fabrika bir kaledir," or "Every factory is a fortress," while describing the site's role in military aviation.
The factory carries out depot-level maintenance, repair, modernization and modification of A400M, C-130 and CN-235 transport aircraft, KC-135R tankers and SF-260D and T-41D trainers. It also produces the domestically developed Rahvan aircraft tug and Seyit Onbaşı bomb-loading vehicle. MSB said the site is the Turkish Armed Forces' only parachute production center and the Air Force's highest-capacity manufacturing center.
New weapons and platforms
MSB said acceptance activity for the HÜRKUŞ-II new-generation basic trainer was carried out at Turkish Aerospace Industries' Kahramankazan facilities on September 28.
The Land Forces also completed inspection and acceptance of an unspecified number of wheeled weapon carrier vehicles. Machinery and Chemical Industry (MKE) delivered 81 mm mortar ammunition and 155 mm concrete-piercing artillery fuzes to the Land Forces, along with Azak warheads for defense industry partners.
MKE's Azerbaijan subsidiary, Makine Kimya Azerbaijan, and Azerbaijan's Miras signed a memorandum on September 30 covering BMP-1 modernization and joint defense projects. The first modernized BMP-1T Turan was unveiled at ADEX 2026.
C-130J deliveries
MSB said Türkiye and the United Kingdom have signed an agreement for 12 C-130J transport aircraft. The first two are scheduled for delivery in December after maintenance in the United Kingdom.
Six pilots and six technicians are training in the United States. Another 29 maintenance personnel are training in the United Kingdom.
Athens confidence-building visit
Türkiye's National Defense University will visit the Hellenic National Defence College in Athens from October 7 to 9 under the Türkiye-Greece Confidence-Building Measures Implementation Plan.
October exercise calendar
Türkiye will hold Nusret-2026 in the İzmir Gulf and the Şehit Yüzbaşı Cengiz Topel Mediterranean Storm exercise in the TRNC from October 3 to 16. A separate live-fire activity is scheduled in Polatlı from October 8 to 15.
Turkish forces are also scheduled to join Valiant Strike and Carpathian Arc in Romania, Black Swan in Hungary, Mare Aperto in Italy, Steadfast Duel in Italy and Norway and a multinational mine warfare exercise in South Korea.
Sources: Türkiye's Ministry of National Defense, Bosphorus News review and reporting.