|The Turkish Navy (Turkish: Türk Deniz Kuvvetleri) is a branch of the Turkish Armed Forces. |
The Turkish Navy has historically been one of the largest sea powers of the Mediterranean. Following the demise of the Ottoman Empire in the aftermath of World War I, and the establishment of the modern Republic of Turkey in 1923 with the victory of Turkish revolutionist forces under Mustafa Kemal Atatürk at the Turkish War of Independence, the Turkish Navy, which inherited the remaining warships of the former Ottoman fleet, underwent a structural reformation and modernization.
Supported by its replenishment ships, the Turkish Navy can participate in international operations and exercises on every major sea and ocean of the world. Submarines can individually navigate up to 15,000 nautical miles (28,000 km) and return to their home bases.
Currently, the Turkish Navy ranks 8th in the world in terms of personel, with 51,000 active personnel. The Turkish Navy is the 4th largest in Europe in terms of the displacement of the total fleet, with 258,948 tons. Only behind Russia, Great Britain and France.