NATO’s land command expands role in Türkiye

İZMİR

NATO’s Allied Land Command (LANDCOM) in the Turkish Aegean province of İzmir has assumed additional responsibilities in alignment with shifting security dynamics.

Established in Türkiye’s western city of İzmir in 1952 as the Allied Land Forces Southeastern Europe Headquarters following Ankara’s accession to NATO, the command underwent structural and doctrinal transformations, ultimately assuming its current designation as NATO Allied Land Command in 2012.

LANDCOM plays a pivotal role in exercising operational control over NATO's land forces during crises and conflicts.

Recently, it has integrated the missions of the joint force land component command and the multicorps land component command, thereby evolving into a fully operational warfighting headquarters, the Turkish state-run Anadolu Agency reported on Feb. 16.

Turkish Colonel Gökhan Dülgergil emphasized that Türkiye has consistently been among NATO’s most substantial contributors since its induction into the alliance.

Highlighting Türkiye’s extensive military commitments across a vast geopolitical expanse, Dülgergil underscored their operational and strategic significance, stating, "NATO has been the linchpin of Türkiye’s defense and security policy.

Major Christopher Morris of the United Kingdom further accentuated Türkiye’s geostrategic prominence, citing its intersection at three continents, robust military infrastructure, and proximity to crisis-prone regions as elements of paramount strategic value for the alliance.

Morris noted that LANDCOM's presence in İzmir enhances NATO's ability to coordinate land operations across Europe, the Middle East, Africa and the Black Sea region.