Turkey's defence industry is gradually becoming an economic sector in its own right, with growing export potential.
In recent years, the country has significantly reduced its reliance on foreign suppliers and actively developed its own drones, armoured vehicles, ships, air defence systems, missiles, radars and electronic systems.
From June 2025 to May 2026, Turkish defence exports reached $10.89 billion, with NATO countries accounting for 57.3% of deliveries. Turkish defence products were supplied to 178 countries in total.
📌Turkey wants more than higher defence spending. It wants public investment in the sector to develop national technology, manufacturing, engineering capabilities and exports at the same time.
The country is a NATO member, lies at the crossroads of Europe, the Middle East and the Caucasus, and seeks to maintain its own technological and industrial independence.
The new defence spending plan is therefore about more than the military.
It also concerns investment in manufacturing, technology, human capital, exports and new industrial supply chains.
If this strategy continues, defence could become one of the sectors shaping Turkey's economy in the next decade💪🏻