Made in Türkiye: Lessons from the Roketsan Strategic Summit

Modern warfare accelerated with the steam engine and came of age through industrial firepower. By the post-World War II era, air and space technologies had redefined military power, pushing nations like Türkiye into alliances such as NATO in 1952. Yet dependence came at a cost. When sanctions followed the 1974 Cyprus Peace Operation, Türkiye was forced to confront a hard truth: true security required a domestic defense industry. Efforts to nationalize land, naval and air systems began to bear fruit in the early 2000s. In the first quarter of the 21st century, the sector grew rapidly compared to its global competitors and entered the top 10 with an export capacity of $10 billion. With platforms such as the Altay tank, the Atak helicopter, the TCG Anadolu warship, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs), Kızılelma and others, the Turkish Defense Industry has transformed into a new-generation production model. Major contributions to this growth have come from companies such as Aselsan, Havelsan, STM, MKE and Baykar Technology.