Turkish Coast Guard Aviation

Adnan Menderes International Airport at Izmir is the main hub for aviation operations of the Turkish Coast Guard ( TCG), known as Sahil Güvenlik Komutanlığı (SGK) in Turkish. Opened in 2001, the airport is used for training and maintenance, being one of four Mission Coordination Centres of the Coast Guard, the other three being Ankara, Antalya and Samsun.

The TCG is a part of the Turkish Armed Forces and responsible for controlling the maritime jurisdiction areas and coastline of Turkey, as well as countering illegal actions in these domains. The TCG is also the main Search and Rescue Coordination Authority in the Turkish Search and Rescue (SAR) Zone. During peacetime, the TCG and its 5,500 personnel are under command of the Turkish Interior Ministry, however, during emergency and wartime, the Turkish Navy exercises control over the Coast Guard.

The TCG is organised into four area commands: Black Sea, the Sea of Marmara and Adjacent Straits, the Aegean Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea.

Until 1956, General Command of the Customs Guard was responsible for duties concerning security of the maritime borders of Turkey. Under Law No. 6815 the duties of prevention and pursuit of smuggling, protection and security of the borders, coasts and territorial waters were delegated to the General Command of the Turkish Gendarmerie under the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The Gendarmerie Regional Sea Commands were founded in Samsun, İzmir and Mersin. In addition, the Maritime Branch was formed within the General Command of the Gendarmerie headquarters. Between 1957 and 1971 the Aegean Sea Region Command, Black Sea Region Command and lastly the Mediterranean Sea Region Command were formed.

As a consequence of changes in the international security environment during the 1960s, and because of the geo-strategic location of Turkey, the length of its coasts, and pre- requisites of being a maritime nation, it became clear that Turkey needed a new and more professional Coast Guard Command. Efforts on the establishment of the Coast Guard Command gained pace in 1967 owing to the absence of necessary law enforcement forces that could impose various bans and laws by Ministries having duties over territorial waters. Within this framework, the Coast Guard Command Law was adopted on 9 July 1982, and the Turkish Coast Guard Command established. The Turkish Coast Guard Command started to operate independently from1 September 1982.

In 1993, the main sub-commands of Coast Guard Command were designated as regional commands: Marmara and Straits Region Command, Black Sea Region Command, Mediterranean Region Command and the Aegean Sea Region Command.

The Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination Centre is located in Ankara and is responsible for coordination of operations and tasking the various regional commands,” explains Commander Murat Oglakci, responsible for operations with the Agusta AB-412EP/SAR helicopters located at Izmir-Adnan Menderes International