Turkish Defense Products Gaining Global Attention
The Turkish defense industry is set to experience its golden age in 2024, with an increasing demand for domestic and national products from various countries around the world. Turkey has steadily climbed to the 11th spot among defense industry exporters globally, thanks to its focus on mass production, research and development, innovation, and technology management.
Last year, Turkey’s defense and aerospace industry exports reached a record high of 7 billion 154 million dollars, with a significant economic contribution of at least 40 billion dollars from domestically produced systems alone. The country exported a wide range of defense products, including land vehicles, corvettes, naval platforms, ammunition, missiles, UAVs, UCAVs, TIHAs, electro-optical systems, attack helicopters, radars, weapons, rifles, pistols, kamikaze drones, and more to various countries.
President of the Defense Industry Presidency, Haluk Görgün, highlighted Turkey’s capability to meet the defense needs of countries worldwide, emphasizing the diverse range of products exported by the Turkish defense industry.
With a growing research and development budget nearing 3 billion dollars and a localization rate exceeding 80 percent, Turkey aims to increase its export figures to double digits within the next two years. Europe showed the highest demand for Turkish defense products, particularly UAVs, smart missiles, ground vehicles, gun turrets, military ships, aircraft, helicopter structures, radar systems, and simulators.
Turkey, with over 3,500 companies and more than 1,100 active projects in the defense industry, participated in numerous NATO projects in 2024. Notable achievements include the export of ASELFLIR-500 system to 16 countries and military ship exports to Portugal.
Looking ahead, Turkey anticipates new records in production and exports in 2025. Plans are underway to release at least 3 ALTAY tank vehicles into mass production, with a focus on local production of engines for the Altay tank and missiles. Efforts are also ongoing to develop domestic engines for the national combat aircraft KAAN and GÖKBEY helicopter, as well as testing activities for the GÖKTÜRK-2 renewal satellite at Turkish Aerospace Industries Inc. Contracts for satellite communication and electronic warfare systems projects (MILKAR and MILKED) are set to be signed, with the first deliveries of HÜRKUŞ aircraft expected this year.
