Sources say work nears completion on new military complex

ANKARA

Rough construction of a sprawling new military complex in the capital Ankara has reached 92 percent completion, Defense Ministry sources said on July 3, as speculation mounts that the site could host the 2026 NATO summit.

The second phase of construction has begun after a tender process carried out by the Housing Development Administration (TOKİ), with the contractor already starting work, officials told reporters during a weekly press briefing.

The Ay Yıldız Joint Command Headquarters — named after the crescent and star of the Turkish flag — is designed to consolidate Türkiye’s defense institutions, including the Defense Ministry, the General Staff and the commands of the army, navy and air force.

Spread across 12.6 million square meters, the complex will accommodate up to 15,000 personnel.

In response to reports that the site would host the 2026 NATO summit, officials said, "The decision of where the summit will be held is at the discretion of our President [Recep Tayyip Erdoğan]."

Ankara had been selected over other candidate cities, such as Istanbul and Antalya, partly due to its lower tourism traffic in July, which would ease logistics, daily Milliyet reported earlier this week.

The crescent-shaped central structure of the complex will include five conference halls, with capacities ranging from 251 to 1,680 seats and a 23,000-square-meter ceremonial plaza. A star-shaped reception and exhibition hall will be located at the front of the plaza, serving as a symbolic and functional centerpiece.

The “star” section of the campus is being prepared specifically for the summit, the report said.

Unveiled by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Aug. 30, 2021 — the anniversary of Türkiye’s 1922 Great Offensive — the project was described as "a structure that instills fear in enemies and confidence in friends."