CHP calls on government regarding plane crash that killed 20 soldiers

CHP Deputy Chairman Responsible for National Defense Policies Yankı Bağcıoğlu issued a written statement regarding the crash of a Turkish Armed Forces C-130 transport plane on the Azerbaijan–Georgia border. Stating that this tragic incident, in which 20 soldiers were martyred, has caused great mourning across the country, Bağcıoğlu expressed his condolences to the families of the fallen heroes and wished them patience.

In his statement, Bağcıoğlu included the following remarks: "This tragic event is not only a great sorrow; it is also a strategic warning that urgently reveals the need to identify structural problems in the field of military aviation, to implement a transparent investigation process, and to re-evaluate Turkey's air logistics capacity. Providing accurate, centralized, and reliable information to the public, strengthening inter-institutional coordination, and decisively implementing all necessary measures to ensure such pain is not experienced again is now an unavoidable necessity."

"ONE OF THE DARKEST DAYS OF MILITARY AVIATION"

Emphasizing that every segment of society is in deep sorrow following the disaster, Bağcıoğlu stated that this accident, in which 20 heroes were martyred, has taken its place as one of the most painful days in Turkey's military aviation history.

"FAILURE TO DECLARE NATIONAL MOURNING IS UNACCEPTABLE"

Yankı Bağcıoğlu continued as follows:

"The fact that a national day of mourning was not declared after such tragic events that affect society, as we have frequently seen examples of around the world, has further increased our sorrow. Recalling the various developments for which mourning was declared in the past, the failure to declare it in this instance is unacceptable. However, even though a decision for mourning was not officially announced for this incident, just as it was not for previous incidents where our soldiers were martyred, the Turkish nation has lived this dark day in their hearts and shared the pain of the grieving families. On this occasion, we wish God's mercy upon our noble martyrs; and offer our condolences to their families, the TSK, and our nation."

"RESULTS MUST BE SHARED TRANSPARENTLY WITH THE PUBLIC"

Bağcıoğlu stated that the fact that statements regarding search and rescue efforts, which should be carried out under the coordination of the Ministry of National Defense (MSB), were made by different units of the state caused an image inconsistent with state seriousness. For this reason, emphasizing that it is necessary for statements to be made by the MSB, especially in incidents directly concerning the TSK, both to demonstrate state seriousness and to inform the public through a single official channel, Bağcıoğlu noted the following:

"Delays in informing the public have unfortunately led to institutions and individuals unrelated to the subject making comments with insufficient and incomplete information, and to our people being misinformed. Unfortunately, this process is still ongoing, and many different comments are being made, especially on social media, regarding the accident and the state of the aircraft. Furthermore, the sharing of our martyrs' names before they were announced by official authorities, and the speculation regarding the cause of the accident before any official statements were made, are considered to be the result of not implementing an effective communication policy. The Turkish Air Force possesses world-class knowledge and experience with its flight, maintenance, and accident investigation teams.

Following the accident, the Turkish Air Force Accident Investigation Team began comprehensive examinations at the scene. Instead of comments amounting to speculation made with incomplete information, it is necessary to wait for the results of the accident investigation team's examination. Our expectation is that the results of the accident investigation be shared with the public in such detail and transparency as to prevent misinformation. Showing our gratitude and appreciation to our noble martyrs and their self-sacrificing families, and fulfilling our obligations, can only be achieved by courageously and transparently addressing the causes of this accident, drawing lessons, and taking measures to ensure it does not recur.

"ACCELERATING THE FLEET RENEWAL PROCESS IS A NECESSITY"

This tragic incident has, in the final analysis, once again shown the necessity of re-evaluating the current state of our transport fleet and air logistics capacity, as well as issues concerning personnel. Although our C-130 aircraft, which have been in the inventory for many years, have undergone significant updates within the scope of the Erciyes avionics system modernization, it is an undeniable fact that, considering structural fatigue and increasing mission intensity, accelerating the fleet renewal process stands before us as a necessity. Our transport aircraft, which served intensively, especially during the earthquake period, self-sacrificingly carried several years' worth of flight load in a short time, far exceeding their annual standards. Therefore, they have naturally experienced systemic and structural wear and tear.

Within the framework of this painful but important lesson, the defense budget should be directed toward priority, critical, and urgent projects that are also important for the survival of our soldiers, taking into account increasing needs, and the approach of transferring resources to projects with low priority in terms of operational needs—such as an aircraft carrier—for political and domestic public opinion-oriented motives should be ended immediately. Furthermore, measures must be taken to prevent flight and maintenance personnel, who perform their duties self-sacrificingly without any financial expectations, from being crushed under the current very difficult economic conditions, to reduce transitions to the private sector, and to ensure the maintenance of qualified human resources.

Regulations that will protect our human resources and eliminate injustices in the pension system must be implemented immediately. Unless steps are taken to increase the motivation of expert personnel in critical areas such as the defense industry, our strategic projects and national goals will suffer."

"THE ESTABLISHMENT PROCESS, DELAYED FOR 25 YEARS, MUST BE COMPLETED"

Bağcıoğlu requested that the accident investigation report be shared with the public, that a detailed briefing be provided to the TBMM, and that necessary institutional measures be taken transparently in line with the findings obtained.

Noting that the establishment process of the Turkish Military Aviation Certification Authority, which will carry out military aircraft testing and certification activities and has been delayed for 25 years, must be completed, Yankı Bağcıoğlu included the following statements:

"As we have brought to the agenda many times, defense project prioritization should be redone by taking operational needs into account, and if necessary, resources should be transferred from budget items of other ministries or institutions that do not carry urgency to urgent, critical, vital projects that concern the survival of personnel. Although the C-130J aircraft to be procured from the United Kingdom will partially eliminate the vulnerability, as we have previously brought to the agenda for the renewal of the air logistics fleet, priority should also be given to projects such as the procurement of additional A400M, C-390, and C-27 aircraft within the framework of analyses to be made by the Air Force Command.

Priority should be given to strengthening technical staff, considering the risks created by the loss of experienced personnel, which we have witnessed increasing in recent years in repair units affiliated with the Ministry of National Defense (MSB). The personal rights of flight and maintenance personnel should be improved in proportion to the increasing workload, and motivation and human resource sustainability should be guaranteed. The TSK is one of the armies with the widest mission area in the world. Turkey's security and foreign policy scale has now left behind the period of being content with the current transport capacity. This painful and tragic event should be seen as a turning point for the restructuring of our air logistics power in all its aspects in the coming period."