Türkiye plans to encourage the transfer of technologies and capabilities developed by its defense industry to civilian sectors as part of efforts to reduce dependence on foreign suppliers in critical technologies, according to its updated economic road map.
Under the 2027-2029 Medium-Term Program (MTP), the government will also encourage the use of domestic defense-industry capabilities in technology-intensive civilian procurement, with the aim of raising domestic production and supporting higher-value exports.
The plan, unveiled Sunday, seeks to strengthen economic security against global shocks, geopolitical tensions and competitive pressures by improving supply security in strategic sectors including energy, agriculture, food, health care, technology and defense.
Since the early 2000s, Türkiye has injected 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.
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.
Türkiye is currently the world's 11th-largest defense exporter. Its shipments rose nearly 50% in 2025 to a record of more than $10 billion. Annualized sales reached $11.2 billion as of this July.
The new program envisages the development of domestic production and innovation capacity for critical products, technologies and services, while supply chains are planned to be diversified and strategic partnerships with reliable partners strengthened.
The government also aims to improve Türkiye's resilience to multiple shocks stemming from demographic change, natural disasters, geopolitical developments and global supply disruptions.
Domestic research and development, production and innovation capabilities will be expanded in strategic sectors including defense, health care, semiconductors and artificial intelligence.
Technologies developed in these fields will be supported in their transfer to the broader economy and civilian applications.
The interaction between defense technologies and civilian applications will be increased, while public procurement of technology-intensive civilian products will be encouraged to draw on the capabilities of Türkiye's domestic defense industry.
The government expects this approach to increase domestic content in these sectors and support higher-value-added exports.
The wider adoption of agile manufacturing methods will also expand the potential applications of defense-industry products and increase the domestic contribution rate.
Action plans will be prepared to support technology development and domestic production in critical areas needed to strengthen supply security in manufacturing, energy, agriculture, health care and transport.
Health care is expected to be one of the main civilian sectors to benefit from technologies developed by Türkiye's defense industry.
The government will support R&D and product-development activities for vaccines, medicines, medical devices, diagnostic kits, biotechnology products and AI-based health care technologies needed by the national health care system.
The initiatives are intended to strengthen domestic production capacity in the health care sector.
Türkiye also plans to establish modern facilities capable of producing semiconductor chips used in identity documents, passports and industrial applications.
Capabilities in semiconductor R&D, design, production and commercialization will be developed, while processes will be established to prepare data held by public institutions in standardized formats suitable for use in AI applications.
Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz said the government also planned to establish product-based platforms with friendly countries for joint development and marketing.
"We want to transfer the technologies and capabilities we have acquired in the defense industry to civilian industries," Yılmaz said.
He said public procurement would play an important role in this process and stressed the need to develop other critical technologies domestically to strengthen Türkiye's economic and technological security.
"We are not looking at this only from Türkiye's perspective. We need to move forward by producing through joint platforms with friendly and brotherly countries," Yılmaz said.
Yılmaz cited the multinational industrial structure behind the U.S.-led F-35 fighter jet program as an example, saying Türkiye would seek to establish similar platforms with friendly countries on a product-by-product basis, both for development and marketing.
