Global image of Turkish defense industry
Source: DAILYSABAH
Deepening in the defense industry, ensuring sustainability, minimizing foreign dependency and achieving product and technology ownership are among the key objectives preparing the Turkish defense industry for the 2030s. As an actor that carried out 1.6% of the world’s total defense industry exports between 2019 and 2023, Türkiye is now preparing for a new phase. This phase, as demonstrated at the International Defense Industry Fair (IDEF) 2025 fair, is attracting different countries and actors. Stakeholders applying for new joint projects are impressed by the rapid development of the Turkish defense industry and seek cooperation with Türkiye, which has become a global player. Surpassing global defense industry actors such as Sweden, Australia and Canada in exports, the Turkish defense industry competes with countries like South Korea, Israel and Spain, preparing itself for a new generation of industrialization. The Fourth Industrial Revolution – described as the transformation of the machine age into a more technological era – stands as one of the fundamental goals of the Turkish defense industry.
Between 2020 and 2025, Türkiye’s annual defense exports rose from $2.3 billion to $8 billion, while the total project volume exceeded $100 billion, indicating how achievable the set targets are. With nearly 100,000 people employed and an annual turnover approaching $20 billion, the Turkish defense industry stands out as one of the country’s most productive sectors. Looking ahead, the industry has set a target of $11 billion in exports and 130,000 jobs by 2028, with global image-building efforts being a critical point not to be overlooked. In Latin America (Ecuador, Peru, Colombia), West Asia (the UAE, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Qatar), Central Asia (Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan), Eastern Europe (Poland), the Balkans (Albania, North Macedonia, Romania, Kosovo), Southeast Asia (Malaysia, Indonesia, Bangladesh, the Philippines), North America (U.S.), and Africa (Sudan, Somalia, Libya, Niger, Mali, Algeria, Egypt), Turkish defense products are in high demand, significantly shaping its global image.
Globally renowned products such as the KAAN fighter jet, the Altay tank, Turkish UAVs and UCAVs, the TCG Anadolu, Kızılelma, MILGEM projects, ANKA, and the National Infantry Rifle, all stamped with the “Made in Türkiye” label, boost international demand. The “Steel Dome” air defense system, as the newest generation defense product, is poised to elevate the Turkish defense industry to the next level. The creation of such an advanced systemic defense sector owes much to the $374 billion in investments and incentives made between 1974 and 2025. Designed as a component of both national security and economic development, the Turkish defense industry, with its technology-intensive structure, also contributes to the broader advancement of Turkish industry.
Aselsan, Havelsan, Roketsan, Baykar Technologies, and Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) are integral parts of the global image of the Turkish defense industry. These companies rank among the world’s largest defense firms and compete with global giants. While Aselsan has become the country’s most valuable company, Baykar Technologies has positioned itself as a guarantor of stability and security in Ukraine, Syria, Libya, Karabakh and Iraq through its unmanned aerial technologies. The fact that Aselsan is the 47th largest defense company in the world points to a new ambition: by 2030, the goal is for Aselsan to enter the world’s top 30 defense firms, while more Turkish defense companies are expected to join the global top 100. From this perspective, the growing interest in the IDEF 2025 fair becomes more understandable. Consequently, while participation came from almost every continent, Aselsan and Baykar Technologies’ weapons drew the greatest attention.
The Turkish Armed Forces (TSK), as the largest user of Turkish defense industry products, play a critical role in shaping its global image. The Turkish Land Forces, Naval Forces, Gendarmerie General Command and Air Forces each contribute to this image-building process. In particular, the Turkish Air Forces Command, with its infrastructure and experience in UAV and UCAV technologies, serves as a global showcase for the Turkish defense industry. The role of Bayraktar TB2 drones in halting the Russian army’s advance on Kyiv during the Ukraine war is therefore of great significance, just as they helped end a decadeslong occupation in Karabakh. They have also played key roles in eliminating terrorist organizations in Syria and Iraq. As NATO’s second-largest military power, in a period of rising global uncertainty, the TSK and the Turkish defense industry stand at the very center of stability and global security. Especially at a time when regional problems and conflicts are intensifying, Türkiye continues to invest in the TSK and its defense industry as an island of stability. Following these investments, the TSK is ranked as the ninth strongest army in the world, while the Turkish defense industry is recognized by SIPRI as the 11th largest global actor.
Another pillar of the global image of the Turkish defense industry is R&D spending. In 2024, total defense industry R&D expenditures amounted to $3 billion, and in 2025, a new expenditure of $3.3 billion is expected. This figure surpasses the total R&D budgets of many countries, placing the Turkish defense industry alone among the world’s top 25 in R&D spending. For example, in 2023, Greece spent 3 billion euros on R&D, nearly matching the Turkish defense industry’s total expenditure. In the coming years, the Turkish defense industry is expected to spend more on R&D alone than Greece does in total. Looking at Türkiye’s overall R&D expenditures, the defense industry emerges as the sector with the highest allocation. In 2025, Türkiye is expected to spend over $20 billion on R&D, with an even greater share to be directed toward defense to strengthen competitiveness against global actors. This situation will further increase the research budget dedicated to the Turkish defense industry and enhance its global competitiveness.
An important aspect of the image-building efforts of the Turkish defense industry is the visuals emerging from Teknofest events. For instance, Teknofest Blue Homeland is an event where indigenous products of the Turkish Navy are showcased and thousands of visitors are hosted. The event, which begins with a parade of warships and submarines of the Turkish Naval Forces and concludes with demonstrations of advanced technologies, is expected to attract global media attention. In addition, with the participation of representatives from many countries, these demonstrations provide a valuable opportunity to present the current capabilities of the Turkish Navy. As one of the leading actors in the world in warship production, Türkiye views Teknofest Blue Homeland as a significant platform to increase its share in global exports. The fact that the global interest gained at IDEF 2025 will be displayed on a new platform also highlights the progress Türkiye has made in the image-building efforts of its defense industry.
The IDEF 2025 showcased long-range hypersonic ballistic missiles, anti-UAV systems, ATMACA and GÖKBORA, stealth aircraft bombs, the GAZAP bomb with destructive power close to that of nuclear weapons, the AŞKAR armored vehicle, and other Turkish defense industry products. In addition to weapons unveiled for the first time, it is also known that many next-generation defense products are being developed. The fair hosted delegations from 103 countries, with more than 1,000 participants, including defense ministers, chiefs of general staff and force commanders. From the perspective of demonstrating both the current position of the Turkish defense industry and its global image, the fair highlighted a crucial reality: the “Made in Türkiye” label has gained worldwide recognition. This achievement, the result of half a century of investment, has transformed the striking power of the TSK into a global-scale force. As a result, the Turkish defense industry, by proving its global image to the world, is preparing to enter a new phase. This new phase involves strengthening the position of Turkish companies among the world’s largest defense firms while also contributing to Türkiye’s preparation for the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
The original article: belongs to DAILYSABAH .
