Ankara announces construction of its own 'Pentagon'

Turkey is building its own version of the US Pentagon, a centre that will house the Defence Ministry, the General Staff and different branches of the Turkish Armed Forces, Anadolu Agency reports. The complex, officially named "Crescent and Star" (the symbols of the Turkish national flag), will be located in the capital's Etimesgut district and will house some 15,000 workers. It will cover an area of approximately 12.6 square kilometres and the building will have an area of 890,000 square metres, compared to the 603,000 square metres of the US Department of Defence headquarters.

As Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced, the project will use advanced technology, which will be environmentally friendly. The Turkish president used a speech on Victory Day to announce that the work is already underway and that it will be inaugurated on 19 May 2023, a month before the presidential elections. He warned that the complex would "instil fear" in Turkey's enemies and "give confidence" to its allies. As the Daily Sabah reports, a gigantic star-shaped building will be the entrance to the armed forces headquarters, while the other large crescent-shaped structure will be used for official ceremonies. 

The construction company Rönesans Holding will be involved in the construction of the mega-project. The Turkish company, which is active in the Middle East and North Africa, has already built the presidential palace in Bestepe and the headquarters of the Turkish National Intelligence Organisation (MIT) in Ankara and Istanbul. 

The 'Crescent and Star' is one of Erdogan's latest plans to boost his popularity ahead of the 2023 elections. Within the current president's political agenda, Turkey's military build-up is one of the top priorities. Through the company FNSS Defence Systems, Ankara is launching its own weapons and warfare equipment, such as the Pars IV armoured traction vehicle, unveiled last August.

At the international level, Turkey is also displaying its military capabilities with offensive actions in northern Syria. In the Eastern Mediterranean, Ankara mobilised the Oruc Reis during the dispute with Greece. Currently, Turkey also aims to gain influence in Afghanistan by negotiating with the Taliban. Meanwhile, Turkey's economic situation is unfavourable due to high inflation, which reached 12.3 per cent in 2020. The Turkish lira has also fallen sharply against the euro and the dollar in recent years.