From Azerbaijan To Somalia: Turkey Is Deploying More F-16s Overseas
- Paul Iddon
- Feb 4
- 2 min read
Original Author: Paul Iddon
Original Publication: Forbes
Date: February 3, 2026
Curated Excerpt (Fair Use)
In this analysis for Forbes, defense journalist Paul Iddon examines Turkey’s expanding practice of deploying F-16 fighter jets beyond its borders, focusing on the recent arrival of Turkish warplanes in Somalia. In late January 2026, at least three Turkish F-16 Vipers landed in Mogadishu, marking one of Ankara’s most distant and strategically significant overseas air deployments to date.
Satellite imagery and reporting indicate that Turkey has constructed new hangars at Mogadishu’s international airport, complementing its largest overseas military base already located in Somalia. According to Bloomberg, the deployment supports Turkish drone operations against al-Shabaab and safeguards Ankara’s growing strategic and economic interests, including offshore energy exploration and long-term infrastructure projects.
The article situates Somalia within a broader pattern of Turkish power projection. Over the past decade, Ankara has repeatedly dispatched F-16s to allied or strategically important non-NATO states, including Azerbaijan, Qatar, Libya, and near conflict zones involving Armenia, Greece, and Syria. These deployments function both as deterrence against rivals and reassurance to partners.
Iddon notes that Turkey possesses NATO’s second-largest F-16 fleet and has increasingly demonstrated its ability to sustain long-range air operations far from its borders. The Somalia deployment, while limited in scale, reflects Ankara’s willingness to combine military presence with political, economic, and security ambitions in fragile states.
The piece concludes that Turkey’s overseas fighter deployments are no longer exceptional events but part of a normalized strategy of regional influence, signaling that similar deployments could occur elsewhere as Ankara continues to assert itself as a transregional military power.
About the Author
Paul Iddon is a senior contributor at Forbes specializing in defense, security, and military affairs in the Middle East, the Caucasus, and beyond. His reporting focuses on air power, arms transfers, and geopolitical military trends.
This is a curated article from an external publication. All views expressed belong to the original author. Gallaydh.com curates external work to encourage informed discussion, strategic literacy, and critical engagement with regional and global affairs.
