Akın Öztürk

Akın Öztürk
General Akın Öztürk, TAF 30th Commander of the Turkish Air Force
Born	(1952-02-21) February 21, 1952 (age 65) Gümüşhane, Turkey
Allegiance	Turkey
Service/branch	Turkish Air Force
Years of service	1973–2016
Rank	General
Commands held	Commander of Air Force Intelligence Chief of Air Force 2nd Air Supply and Maintenance Command Training and Projects Command 141st Squadron Command MJB Operations Command
Awards	See below

Akın Öztürk (born February 21, 1952) is a former four-star general in the Turkish Air Force who served as the 30th Commander of the Turkish Air Force until August 4, 2015. After his expiration as commander, he continued his duty as a member of the Supreme Military Council.

Öztürk was arrested on 16 July 2016 on charges of having played a leading role in the failed 2016 Turkish coup d'état attempt of 15 July. He was stripped of all his military ranks and indicted for offences against public order, terrorism, conspiracy and treason. Öztürk has denied the charges.

Upon graduating from the 2nd Main Jet Base (MJB) Flight Training School as a fighter pilot in 1975, he was assigned to the 7th MJB in Malatya where he served as an F-100 and F-4 pilot until 1981. In 1981, he was assigned to the 1st MJB in Eskişehir where he served as Squadron Officer and Standardization and Evaluation Branch Chief.

In 1987, he was assigned to the 3rd MJB as Standardization and Evaluation Officer. His next assignment was in 1989 in the 4th MJB where he became an F-16 pilot. There, he served as 141st Squadron Operations Officer between 1989 and 1991. Starting in May 1991, Öztürk was the commander of the 141st Squadron until 1993. Between 1993 and 1996 he served as Project Officer and Branch Chief in Training Department at Turkish Air Headquarters. He was the Turkish Military attache to Israel between 1996 and 1998. He then became the Operations Commander of the 6th MJB, Bandırma between 1998 and 2000. After his promotion to Brigadier General in 2000, he served as Chief of Training Department in Air Force Headquarters for two years and as the Commander of 9th MJB until 2004.

As of 2004 he was promoted to Major General and assigned as Commander of the 2nd Air Supply and Maintenance Center for two years. In 2006 he assumed the command of the 2nd MJB. In 2008, he became the Chief of Intelligence of the Turkish Air Force.

In 2009, he was promoted to Lieutenant General and served as the 2nd Air Force Commander for two years. He then became the Commander of the Air Training Command in 2011. General Öztürk promoted to the rank of General on 22 August 2013, and was assigned as the 30th Commander of the Turkish Air Force on 30 August 2013.