The Jandarma Havacılık Komutanliği (Gendarmerie Aviation Command) is one of Turkey’s most elusive air arms. Marco Dijkshoorn assesses its assets, capabilities and recent developments.
Turkish Gendarmerie
The S-70A Black Hawk is the mainstay of the Jandarma Özel Harekat (Gendarmerie Special Operation Forces). The sensor suite – including a forwardlooking infrared – is optimised for night operations, with a colour scheme to match. All photos Marco Dijkshoorn
A line-up at Ankara-Güvercinlik of three of the helicopter types used by the Jandarma: the Mi-17-1V ‘Hip-H’ (the white, blue and red example is used as a VIP transport), the Agusta-Bell AB205 ‘Huey’ and the S-70A Black Hawk. Although unconfirmed, it seems likely that the Gendarmerie unit at Güvercinlik will move to Aydin-Çildir or Isparta/Süleyman Demirel in future.
The Jandarma Havacılık Komutanlığı answers to the Jandarma Genel Komutanliği (Gendarmerie General Command), Turkey’s militarised internal security force. Operating mostly in rural areas in a paramilitary role, its assets are scattered widely around the country and rarely seen.
