Defense industry of Turkey

The defense industry of Turkey has a long history, dated from the Ottoman Empire, and has changed several times during the Republic period. The Turkish defense industry has achieved significant growth with state support in line with the independence decision taken in the defense industry in 1974. The Turkish defense industry has gained great field experience with the operations of the Turkish Armed Forces in Iraq, Syria and Libya. This situation has attracted the attention of many countries, especially in Europe, and has led to cooperation with Turkey in the fields of defense and industry. Today, Türkiye produces thousands of products in dozens of different areas, from infantry rifles to fifth-generation fighter jets.As of 2024, Türkiye will meet more than 70 percent of its defense industry needs with domestic production. By 2025, Turkey's defense industry needs will have exceeded 80 percent of domestic needs and R&D spending will reach $3 billion annually. In 2024, there were 3,500 defense industry companies working on more than 1,100 projects in the country. In 2024, the Turkish defense industry's exports abroad exceeded $7 billion for the first time in history.
Turkish defense industry companies have made great progress in the field of aviation after 2010. Between 2013 and 2024, 9 military aircraft were produced and flown. Leading Turkish aircraft engine company TEI designed 13 engines in a 10-year period between 2014 and 2024. Flights were carried out with 7 of these engines. 6 of them entered mass production. Defence Industry Agency president Görgün announced that the number of employees in the defense sector is expected to be between 108 thousand and 110 thousand in 2025.
The exact date when the Ottoman Turks started producing rifles and cannons is a matter of debate. However, it is known that cannons were used in the siege of Constantinople during the reign of Bayezid I. The large cannons made by the Turks in 1453 were mentioned by both the Turks and the Byzantines. In particular, the sound these cannons made when fired was described as frightening by the Byzantines. In the Battle of Mohács in 1526, the Turks lured the 30,000-strong Hungarian heavy cavalry into a trap consisting of a defense line of 300 cannons and in this way were able to destroy a large part of the Hungarian army in a period of 2 hours. Until the 18th century, Ottoman weapons facilities were in a position to compete with European states. However, radical technological changes and the industrial revolution that emerged from the end of the 18th century caused the gap between Europe and the Ottomans to widen rapidly. The Turkish manufacturing industry could not keep up with the rapid changes in cannon and rifle technology, and in many cases, it was preferred to purchase materials from abroad. Especially with the emergence of smokeless powder, rifled guns and armored ships, the technological gap between the Ottomans and Europe widened to an uncompetitive level.
Turkish shipyards, which had been producing ships in large quantities for centuries, came to the point where they could no longer produce modern ships. Despite the great decline in the shipping sector, the Ottomans did not give up their desire to produce cannons and rifles. From the 1840s onwards, they tried alternative methods such as technology transfer or purchasing machinery. Many heavy industry investments such as the Zeytinburnu Iron Factory were also made. By the 1890s, the Ottomans were generally producing German rifles and cannons under license, but production quantities were insufficient. The Crimean War of 1853-56, the Turkish-Russian War of 1877-78 and the large-scale rebellions that occurred regularly throughout the empire made it necessary for the state to constantly purchase weapons from abroad. In addition, the shortage of qualified workers was another factor. The Balkan War of 1912 led to the loss of Salonika, the largest industrial city of the empire. The occupation of Istanbul in 1918 caused Türkiye's only defense industry center to be taken out of control by the Turkish army. This situation paralyzed the logistic structure of the Turkish army fighting the occupying Greek army in Anatolia. With the establishment of the republic in 1923 and the recapture of Istanbul, it was decided to move the defense industry to the farthest place from a possible enemy invasion, namely the center of the country. For this reason, the cannon, rifle, ammunition and gunpowder factories in Istanbul were transferred to the capital Ankara and surrounding cities. New factories also began to be built in Ankara and its surroundings. Having the view that defence industry is a part of the overall industrialization and development, the Republican Administration supported the State's guidance in industrialization and therefore the defense industry during the first planning period. Despite such activities as the in-country aircraft production, a strong –infrastructure could not be established due to internal and external conditions. The cannon, rifle, gunpowder, and ammunition factories (Baruthane-i Amire, Tophane-i Amire,Tüfenkhane-i Amire) in Istanbul were moved to Ankara and gathered under the name of General Directorate of Military Factories. In 1950, all these factories were combined under the name of Mechanical and Chemical Industry Corporation.
In the post World War II Period, activities in defense industry initiated during the first years of the Republic were not sufficient due to lack of State support, which came to a halt as a result of the foreign military aid received upon promotion of bilateral relations with the United States and Turkey's membership of NATO.
However, regional problems Turkey faced in the 1960s, Cyprus crises in 1963 and 1967, Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974 and the arms embargo following the invasion necessitated the development of a defence industry based on national resources. After 1974, Turkish Armed Forces Foundation were established with this understanding and some investments, though limited were initiated.
Besides the administrative and financial difficulties in maintaining and improving the national capabilities, limited national resources as well as the procurement policies proved insufficient to fill the increasing gap in Turkish Armed Forces defence equipment.
Machinery, craftsmen and workmen transferred discreetly from Istanbul and its surroundings at the end of the First World War played a crucial role in winning the War of Independence. Small scale and simple workshops in Ankara, Konya, Eskişehir, Keskin and Erzurum not only provided light weapons and ammunition but also lay the foundation for a sound local defence industry infrastructure.
General Directorate of Military Facilities was set up in 1921. Establishing and industry of weapons and ammunition was discussed for the first time during the İzmir Congress of Economics. In 1924 a facility for repair of light weapons and artillery and another facility for ammunition and carpenter work in Ankara; in 1924 a new ammunition facility in Ankara; in 1930 a capsule facility in Kayaş; in 1931 a power plant and steel facility in Kırıkkale ; in 1936 a facility for gunpowder, rifle and artillery; in 1943 a facility for gas masks in Mamak were established. In addition, Nuri KILLIGİL facility set up near Haliç region, İstanbul; in 1930 was then one of two private firms producing weapons. Producing pistols, 81 mm mortar and its ammunition, explosives and pyrotechnics, this facility provided support to the Turkish Armed Forces during World War II.
In 1924, Gölcük Shipyard was set up for the maintenance of Yavuz battle cruiser. In 1941, Taşkızak Shipyard was reactivated.
Turkish aviation industry was initiated through the establishment of Tayyare ve Motor Türk AŞ (TamTAŞ) in 1926. The facilities of TamTAŞ established in Kayseri, started production in 1928; until 1939, a total of 112 aircraft –15 German Junkers A-20s, 15 US Hawk fighters, 10 US Fledgling trainers, 15 German Gotha liaison aircraft –were produced. After completion of the maintenance of the aircraft in the inventory of the Turkish Air Force Command, TamTAŞ suspended aircraft production in 1939.
24 Nu. 37 aircraft and many gliders were produced in the aircraft facility founded by Nuri DEMİRDAĞ in Istanbul in 1936. but this private firm was out of operation in 1943.
The first major initiative in the aviation industry was the formation of an aircraft facility by Turkish Aviation Association in Ankara, 1941. Starting production in 1944, this facility produced 80 Miles Magister trainer aircraft, two –engine ambulance aircraft THK-10 light transport aircraft, 60 Ugur two-seater trainer aircraft and various types of gliders. The first aircraft engine facility was set up in Ankara, in 1945 and started production in 1948. various facilities were established in Malatya between 1942 and 1943 in order to repair and maintain the aircraft procured from the United Kingdom during the IInd World War.
Foreign military aid that started upon Turkey's membership in NATO and increased within a short period stalled the development of local defence industry which was at its preliminary stage of formation.
Instead of improving the local defence industry, foreign aid and foreign procurement were practiced during this period. Because of the Cold War and military and political polarization after the 2nd World War, Turkey met its defence requirements through and in the framework of the NATO.
Within the impact of the increasing foreign aid in the post-IInd World War period, efforts for the development of local defence industry slowed down; orders of the Turkish Armed Forces from the local suppliers decreased, thus military facilities became a part of the Machinery and Chemical Industry Corporation (MKEK) which was formed as a State Economic Enterprise on 15 March 1950.
Development of, weaponry and equipment in the inventory of the Turkish Armed Forces was kept on the agenda by the Research and Development Department formed in 1954 under the Ministry of Defence in 1970, development studies of defence industry were reactivated.
It was a period regional conflicts and the Cyprus issue. Cyprus crises in 1963 and 1967 and the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974, the arms embargo imposed on Turkey as a result of this invasion proved the need for a national defence industry. During the crises, Turkey was face with the difficulty of dependence on foreign supply. The deadlock experienced in this period caused to seek ways to reactivate national defence industry. During this period in which investments based on import substitution were common, production of G-3 and MG-3 rifles by the MKEK under German licenses were concrete examples of this policy put into practice.
1970s have been the period in which solid initiatives were put into force so as to establish a national defence industry. In 1974, Turkey decided to launch a military operation in Cyprus to help the Turks who were under attack. The US, protesting Türkiye’s military operation in Cyprus, decided to impose a military embargo on Türkiye. This decision caused a situation that paralyzed the logistics structure of the Turkish Armed Forces. Because almost all the equipment and spare parts used by the Turkish army and especially the air force were American-made. This situation forced Turkish policymakers into a difficult dilemma. The leaders of the coalition government that carried out the Cyprus Operation, Bülent Ecevit and Necmettin Erbakan, decided to end foreign dependency in the defense industry. Other governments that came to power later also remained loyal to this decision. As a result of the national reaction to the arms embargo against Turkey, Armed Forces Foundation were established. Although these Foundations formed enterprises such as Aselsan, Havelsan, Aspilsan thanks to the donations, it was soon realized that the actual need for a defence industry as required by the contemporary age could not be met through the Foundations.
After the US imposed a military embargo on Türkiye following the 1974 Cyprus operation, Turkiye, acting on the principle of "self-sufficiency in the defense industry", established TAI, operating in the aviation sector, in 1974, and Aselsan, operating in the wireless and electronics sector, in 1975. The US failed to achieve its desired goal by imposing an embargo on Türkiye but caused the US to lose its influence on Turkey. These two companies would become the largest defense industry companies in Türkiye in the modern era.
In the 1980s, state initiative was undertaken to realize the modernization of the Turkish Armed Forces and the establishment of a national defence industry based on contemporary technology was set as the primary goal. Havelsan was established in 1982 and Roketsan, Türkiye's largest missile manufacturer, was established in 1988. During the term of Prime Minister Turgut Özal, the idea of ​​technology transfer in the defense industry was generally adopted. In this direction, joint projects were developed with Western allied countries and joint defense industry companies were established. TEI was established in 1985 with an American partnership to maintain, repair and produce engine parts for F-16 fighter jets and engines.
The first step in this direction was taken by the establishment of defence equipment Directorate as a state enterprise. However, the shortcomings stemming from its state-bound status prevented the success and all the properties of that enterprise were transferred to the Undersecretariat for Defense Industries (SSM) which was established in 1985 under the Law No: 3238.
On 13 May 2004, the Defense Industry Executive Committee, chaired by Prime Minister Erdoğan, convened with leading military and civilian executives in Türkiye. As a result of the meeting, all tenders made before 2004 to purchase weapons from foreign companies were cancelled. The amount of the cancelled tenders was more than 11 billion dollars. Under the leadership of Eroğan, the committee decided that the Turkish defense industry would be independent and that the needs of the armed forces would be met with domestic products. According to this decision, Turkey would order many important war equipment such as tanks, aircraft, helicopters and warships from Turkish companies. In line with this, projects such as the National Tank Production Project (MİTÜP), National Combat Aircraft Project (MMU), National Ship Project (MİLGEM), Attack Helicopter Project (ATAK) and National Infantry Rifle (MPT) were initiated. This meeting and the decisions taken completely changed the modern Turkish defense industry.
Turkey has reached a level where it can produce rifles such as MKE MPT, HGK Guided Bombs,anti-tank missiles such as UMTAS, Karaok, Roketsan Cirit, OMTAS, Atmaca anti-ship missiles with its own engine, Sungur MANPAD, Hisar and Siper air defense missiles,Aselsan GOKDENIZ, KORKUT air defence systems,armored vehicles such as Otokar Cobra II, Otokar Tulpar, Otokar Arma, FNSS Pars, FNSS ZAHA, BMC Kirpi, BMC Vuran, Nurol Ejder, Altay main battle tank and Kaplan light tank,T-155 Fırtına self-propelled howitzer, T-129 and T-929 attack type helicopters with its own engine, drones such as TB-2 Bayraktar, Anka, TAI Aksungur, Akıncı, jet powered drones such as TAI Anka-3 and Bayraktar Kızılelma, ballistic missiles such as Tayfun and Bora, air-to-air missiles Gökdoğan, Bozdoğan, Gökhan, cruise missile such as SOM and Çakır, torpedoes such as Roketsan Akya, electronic warfare systems such as Koral, AESA radars such as MURAD AESA Radar, Ada-class corvettes, Istanbul-class frigates, TF2000-class destroyers, a national aircraft carrier, military satellite Göktürk-3, fighter planes such as TAI Hürkuş, Hürjet and finally the fifth generation stealth warplane called TAI TF Kaan. In 40 years, the Turkish defense industry has come to a point where it can produce almost anything, from infantry rifles to fifth-generation fighter jets.
Turkey's defense industry has seen substantial growth and transformation over recent decades, driven by a strategic vision to reduce dependency on foreign suppliers and enhance national security capabilities. This transformation has been characterized by increased domestic production, significant investments in research and development, and growing export markets.
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The growth of the Turkish defense industry has had a substantial economic impact. Defense exports have surged, contributing to the national economy and creating a robust defense-industrial base. From 2012 to 2022, Turkey's defense and aerospace imports decreased, showcasing the effectiveness of policies aimed at fostering domestic production.
Despite these advancements, Turkey faces challenges, including balancing its defense needs with diplomatic relations, particularly with NATO allies. The cancellation of Turkey's participation in the F-35 program due to the S-400 procurement is a notable example of the complexities in its defense strategies.
Looking forward, Turkey aims to continue its trajectory of innovation and self-reliance in defense technology. Ongoing projects like the TAI TF Kaan fighter jet and the SİPER long-range SAM system highlight the future directions of Turkey's defense industry, focusing on indigenous capabilities and strategic partnerships.
-Note: The M44T and M52T is a Turkish modernization, license-built Rheinmetall 155 mm howitzer with Turkish Fire Control Systems.