Turkey’s situation according to the NATO report for 2025, prepared with official data provided by countries to NATO and published today:
1)Military expenditures (billion USD):
*2021: 12,969
*2022: 12,291
*2023: 16,766
*2024: 28,274 (estimated)
*2025: 32,573 (estimated)
It will have increased about 2.7 times in the last 3 years. Very positive.
2) Ratio of military expenditures to gross domestic product (GDP):
*2021: %1,61
*2022: %1,36
*2023: %1,48
*2024: 2.13% (forecast)
*2025: 2.33% (estimated)
Turkey achieved the 2025 NATO target of 2% by 2024.
3) Number of soldiers:
*2021: 450.000
*2022: 455.900
*2023: 463.700
*2024: 481,000 (estimated)
*2025: 494,500 (estimated)
The number of staff will have increased by about 10% in the last 4 years.
4) Proportion of defense budget allocated to weapons and equipment:
*2021: %29,31
*2022: %28,43
*2023: %29,79
*2024: 33.36% (forecast)
*2025: 27% (estimated)
We are above the NATO target of 20%, but as a country we rank 22nd out of 31 countries. For rapid deployment, we should aim for much higher than the approximate average of 35% for 31 countries. For example, Poland, ranked 1st, allocates 55% of its total budget to equipment procurement.
5) Proportion of the defense budget allocated to personnel:
*2021: %47,88
*2022: %45,27
*2023: %44,20
*2024: 40.14% (forecast)
*2025: 34.41% (estimated)
While the number of personnel is increasing, expenditures on personnel are decreasing in proportion, if not in numbers.
6) Proportion of the defense budget allocated to infrastructure:
*2021: %7,49
*2022: %7,63
*2023: %9,48
*2024: 8.62% (forecast)
*2025: 7.39% (forecast)
7) Proportion of the defense budget allocated to other expenditures:
*2021: %15,32
*2022: %18,67
*2023: %16,54
*2024: 17.88% (forecast)
*2025: 31.2% (forecast)
Other expenses include operations, maintenance, R&D and other expenses not included in the above items. The extraordinary jump in 2025 is likely to be driven by modernization projects and R&D.
Source: https://x.com/TyrannosurusRex/status/1960969229877866906
