Five Turkish defense giants, which have recently entered the Defense News Top 100 list and climbed the global ranks, are reflecting the industry's expanding global footprint and rising export revenues.
Aselsan, Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI), Arca Defense, Roketsan and MKE all secured places on the ranking, with Aselsan, Türkiye's largest company by market capitalization, now ascending to 40th place.
One thing these companies have in common is that their executives also serve on the board of SAHA Istanbul, Europe's largest industrial cluster, according to a report on Wednesday.
SAHA Istanbul is the organizer of a major international defense gathering, SAHA Expo.
Turkish defense companies have been steadily climbing global rankings in recent years, driven in part by growing exports. The five companies that made it to the Top 100 list generated a combined $14.9 billion in defense revenue, with exports accounting for a significant share.
Accordingly, Aselsan ranked 40th on this year's list, followed by TAI at 48th and Arca Defense at 53rd.
The missile maker Roketsan was placed 64th, while MKE entered the ranking at 81st.
The SAHA Expo has become an important showcase for Türkiye's defense industry on the global stage and has contributed to the sector's export-driven growth.
The platform helped facilitate export contracts worth around $4.5 billion in 2024 and $8 billion in 2026, supporting the international expansion of Türkiye's major defense companies.
The participation of these large defense contractors in SAHA Istanbul's management and committees also enables closer integration with more than 1,300 small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) within the cluster.
The production capacity of these SMEs provides larger defense companies with more flexible supply chains, helps shorten delivery times and strengthens the global competitiveness of Türkiye's defense industry.
The industry has expanded notably over the last decade, with its annualized rolling exports now surpassing $10 billion.
