Orhan K. Babaoglu, a captain in the Turkish navy, is a visiting military fellow in The Washington Institute's Turkish Research Program. Before joining the Institute, he was assigned to the Turkish Naval Forces Command in Ankara, where he served as strategy branch chief in the Plans and Policy Division.
Captain Babaoglu graduated from the Naval War Academy (Istanbul) in 1982 as an ensign with a bachelor's degree in electronics. Upon graduating from submarine school in 1983, he was designated as a submariner. In 1988, Captain Babaoglu completed his master's degree in electrical engineering at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California. In 1994, the captain graduated from the Naval Staff College in Newport, RI.
From 1995 to 1997, Captain Babaoglu commanded TCG YILDIRAY, a Turkish-built Type 209 submarine. Under his command, the submarine participated in several Turkish and NATO exercises and operations. In 1997, upon completing his sea tour, he was appointed chief of operations for the submarine fleet. In 1998, he received orders to report to Naval Forces Headquarters in Ankara as a staff officer in the Operations Division.
From 1999 to 2002, Captain Babaoglu served as Operation Section Chief for Allied Naval Forces South in Naples, Italy. During this tour of duty, Captain Babaoglu was involved extensively in NATO's first Article 5 operation against terrorist and other unlawful activities in the Mediterranean.
Captain Babaoglu resides in Ankara, Turkey, with his wife Sevinc, and son Serdarcan.
