Turkey’s defense industry expands footprint in Europe, raising strategic questions

In recent years, Turkey has secured a growing number of procurement contracts from EU and NATO countries, prompting debate over the long-term implications for Europe’s strategic autonomy, EUalive partner IBNA reports.

The Turkish defense industry is experiencing one of its most dynamic growth phases, making notable inroads into European markets. From the Iberian Peninsula to Central Europe, Turkish-made defense systems are not only meeting the technical standards of NATO and EU member states – in some cases, they are outperforming them in cost-efficiency, adaptability, and operational reliability.

Strategic contracts signal shift

Recent high-profile deals underline Ankara’s ambitions:

TUSAŞ, Turkish Aerospace Industries Inc., signed a deal with Spain for the supply of the Hürjet trainer aircraft, marking the first export of a Turkish jet aircraft to a NATO member.

Turkish defense firm STM won a contract to build two auxiliary vessels for Portugal’s navy – a milestone in relations with a traditional maritime power.

Baykar’s TB2 drones are now operational in Romania, Poland, Albania, Croatia, and Kosovo, with a joint venture with Italy’s Leonardo expected to generate long-term cooperation worth billions.

Turkish armored vehicle producers Otokar, Nurol, and BMC have entered markets in Estonia, Romania, and Hungary, competing directly with established Western suppliers.

Meanwhile, REPKON is establishing a 155mm ammunition production line in Germany, and ASELSAN continues to provide communication and electronics systems across the EU.

Beyond cost: a search for flexibility and reliability

Defense analyst Ahmet Alemdar points out that price is only part of the equation. “Defense procurement is about trust and performance. Turkey offers field-tested, flexible systems – and delivers them fast,” he says.

Turkish manufacturers are often seen as more agile than larger Western conglomerates, offering tailored systems with faster turnaround times. This appeal is amplified by staffing shortages and production bottlenecks in parts of the EU defense sector.

Strategic dilemmas for the EU

While such partnerships may help address short-term capability gaps, they raise long-term strategic questions. Can the EU truly achieve defense sovereignty if it increasingly depends on third-country suppliers? And what does the Turkish footprint mean for Europe’s industrial independence?

These questions come at a time when the EU is promoting deeper defense cooperation through initiatives such as PESCO and the European Defence Fund (EDF). Yet, in the wake of the war in Ukraine, member states are prioritizing immediate readiness over industrial coherence, turning to partners like Turkey for urgent solutions.

Alemdar argues that Turkey’s role is evolving from that of an external supplier to a stakeholder in shaping European defense projects. “Multinational partnerships like Baykar-Leonardo and TUSAŞ-Airbus show where this can go,” he adds.

Balancing opportunity and dependency

Ankara’s rising profile is a product of both its industrial maturity and the EU’s internal constraints. Whether this leads to closer cooperation or friction will depend on Europe’s ability to reconcile strategic needs with its ambitions for autonomy.

In a fragmented global order, Turkey is positioning itself as both a partner and a competitor – a challenge European defense planners will have to navigate with increasing urgency.

From buyer to builder: Romania attempts to lead its own drone revolution

Caption: Turkish Bayraktar Kizilelma Unmanned Combat Aircraft of Baykar on display during the Saha Expo Defence and Aerospace Exhibition in Istanbul, Turkey, 22 October 2024. [EPA/EFE/ERDEM SAHIN]