Over nearly a quarter-century, Türkiye's defense sector has transformed from foreign-dependent licensed manufacturing into a high-capacity industry driven by high domestic content and robust global exports.

The transformation coincides with the 25-year period of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party), which marked its anniversary on Friday.

Türkiye now develops a broad range of indigenous platforms and systems, invests in critical technologies and exports high-value-added products across the globe.

In 2002, Türkiye had only 56 defense firms and some 62 projects underway. Those figures today stand at more than 4,500 and 1,400, respectively.

The total project volume skyrocketed from $5.5 billion in 2002 to over $100 billion today.

Defense and aerospace exports surged from just $248 million to $10.05 billion in 2025.

Shipments hit $5.79 billion in the first seven months of 2026 and totaled $11.2 billion on an annualized basis as of July.

Türkiye is currently the world's 11th-largest defense exporter and is close to breaking into the ranks of the top 10.

For much of the past two decades, Ankara has expressed frustration over its Western allies' failure to provide adequate defense systems against missile threats despite Türkiye being a major NATO member.

That prompted it to invest billions of dollars to transform from a nation heavily reliant on equipment from abroad to one that is a major exporter and where homegrown systems now meet almost all of its defense industry needs.

Its research and development spending increased from $49 million in 2002 to over $3.5 billion, while the domestically produced content ratio increased from 20% to more than 85%.

Shift to domestic development

The Turkish defense sector provides direct employment to over 100,000 people, and the average age of a defense industry worker is 34.

Turkish defense was dominated by off-the-shelf purchases, licensed production and technology transfer in the early 2000s. This trend gradually shifted to promote domestic development, homegrown original design and the localization of critical subsystems.

The sector's scope of operations expanded as project scales grew, with a broad range of products and technologies emerging, such as armored vehicles, conventional platforms, unmanned systems, warships, jet aircraft, air defense systems, radar and electronic warfare systems, smart munitions, engines, space technology and advanced electronics.

The Turkish defense and aerospace industry made around $1.1 billion in revenue in 2002, while this figure exceeded $20 billion by 2026.

Unmanned aerial vehicles

Unmanned aerial vehicles have been one of the most significant areas of transformation over the past 25 years.

Defense firm Baykar's Bayraktar TB2 unmanned combat aerial vehicle became one of the most symbolic breakthroughs in Turkish defense.

The combat drones earned worldwide fame after proving their capabilities in several conflicts, including Syria, Libya, Karabakh and Ukraine.

Their success eventually helped Türkiye become one of the world's top drone exporters.

Baykar's multirole Bayraktar Akıncı platform further improved Türkiye's drone capabilities with its high payload capacity, long range, advanced sensors and heavy munitions integration.

Baykar's Bayraktar Kızılelma carried Türkiye's drone expertise into the unmanned fighter jet area by combining high speed, air-to-air and air-to-ground capabilities and the ability to operate from short-runway ships.

Turkish Aerospace Industries' Anka and Aksungur unmanned combat aerial vehicles contributed to the development of high-altitude, long-endurance and strategic reconnaissance and surveillance capabilities of Turkish drones by integrating satellite communications, homegrown electro-optical systems, munitions and engines.

Growing aviation industry

The Turkish Aerospace Industries' under-development twin-engine stealth fighter Kaan and the Hürjet jet trainer also marked major milestones in Türkiye's manned aviation.

The Kaan is one of the most technologically ambitious programs in Turkish aviation with its low observability, advanced avionics, mission computer, radar and system integration.

The Hürjet was developed to provide a homegrown trainer platform to advance the country's capability to develop manned military aircraft.

The Turkish Aerospace Industries T129 Atak helicopter's product and system integration experience translated into the homegrown T625 Gökbey helicopter, marking a giant leap in rotary-wing technologies.

State-of-the-art naval defense

Beyond aerial systems, Türkiye's national ship project, called MILGEM, laid the foundation for domestic naval platform design, ranging from corvettes to frigates.

Advancements in combat management systems, sensors and weapon integration became key to ensuring independence and export capacity in naval defense.

The TF-2000 anti-air warfare guided-missile destroyer extended the Turkish Navy's air defense capabilities to the high seas through its long-range air defense and advanced radar and weapon-sensor integration.

The unique naval engineering capabilities Türkiye gained through the MILGEM project enabled the development of the country's domestic submarine project, called MILDEN, to develop underwater platforms.

The partnership between the TCG Anadolu drone carrier assault ship and the Bayraktar TB3 combat drone introduced a new sea-air operations concept to the Turkish defense industry, integrating amphibious capabilities with a UAV capable of operating from short runways.

Missile defense systems

Meanwhile, Türkiye's air defense architecture also grew with Roketsan and Aselsan's Hisar and Siper missile systems, which contributed to a layered air defense architecture combining integrated sensors, command-and-control systems and missile systems within a single domestic architecture against various threats at low, medium and high altitudes.

Türkiye's multilayered air defense system, Steel Dome, has been developed by bringing together radars, electro-optical sensors, electronic warfare components, command-and-control infrastructure and air defense weapons of various ranges under a common network.

Roketsan's Som, Atmaca and Kara Atmaca developed long-range precision strike capabilities for air, sea and land platforms, while the same firm's Tayfun missile introduced the ability to engage long-range and precision land targets, boosting Türkiye's strategic deterrence.

Turkish defense also evolved in surface vehicles, with the main battle tank Altay establishing a broad industrial ecosystem around critical technologies, such as armor, active protection, fire control and power packs, while also highlighting the strategic importance of reducing foreign dependence on engines and power packs.

Aselsan's Koral electronic warfare system and other homegrown radar systems enhanced the effectiveness of air, land and sea platforms in modern warfare through radar detection, electronic jamming, early warning and sensor superiority.

Indigenous technologies

Meanwhile, the PD170, TF6000 and KTJ engine projects brought power system developments for UAV engines, turbofans, cruise missile engines and more.

These projects have been key to ensuring platform independence in defense through indigenous engine technologies.

At the same time, Turkish defense transformed its export model from direct product sales to a broader approach that includes training, maintenance and sustainment, system integration, co-production and technology cooperation.

Turkish defense products are exported to some 185 countries, and around 230 different product types are actively used worldwide.

The sector's primary goal this year is to further independence efforts in critical technologies, establish high-volume mass production capacity and permanently expand its share in the global market.