Defence Companies

Turkish Defense Industry: Companies and Key Weapons Guide

Last updated: September 22, 2026

Over the past two decades, Türkiye has moved from being a net arms importer to ranking among the world’s top ten defense exporters, according to data tracked by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). That shift has been driven by a compact group of companies — some state-linked through military support foundations, others fully private — all operating under the coordination of the Presidency of Defence Industries (SSB). This guide maps the major players and their flagship products, with links to our in-depth coverage of specific platforms.

Türkiye’s defense industry is led by eight major companies: ASELSAN (defense electronics), Turkish Aerospace / TUSAŞ (aircraft and helicopters), ROKETSAN (missiles), Baykar (drones), HAVELSAN (software and command-and-control systems), MKE (munitions), FNSS (armored vehicles), and STM (naval design and smart munitions) — all coordinated by the Presidency of Defence Industries (SSB).

The Institutional Backbone: From SSM to SSB

Türkiye’s defense procurement authority was established in 1985 as the Undersecretariat for Defence Industries (SSM), created to reduce the Turkish military’s reliance on imports. It was rebranded as the Presidency of Defence Industries (SSB) in 2017 and placed directly under the Turkish Presidency. Turkish officials have repeatedly cited domestic content in defense procurement rising from under 20% around 2002 to roughly 80% today — a figure commonly used as a headline indicator of industrial self-sufficiency, though the actual ratio varies by program depending on how much a given platform still relies on imported engines or specialized subcomponents.

The Eight Major Players at a Glance

Company	Founded	Ownership	Core Specialty
ASELSAN	1975	Turkish Armed Forces Foundation (TSKGV)	Defense electronics, radars, remote weapon stations
Turkish Aerospace (TUSAŞ)	1984	State majority + TSKGV	Fighter jets, helicopters, drones, satellites
ROKETSAN	1988	Turkish Armed Forces Foundation (TSKGV)	Guided missiles and rockets
Baykar	1984 (entered defense in the 2000s)	Private (Bayraktar family)	Combat and reconnaissance drones
HAVELSAN	1982	TSKGV + Turkish Aerospace	Software, simulation, command-and-control, ground robotics
MKE	1950 (lineage back to 1744)	State-owned	Munitions, small arms, artillery
FNSS	1988	Joint venture: Nurol Holding + BAE Systems	Wheeled and tracked armored vehicles
STM	1991	Turkish Armed Forces Foundation (TSKGV)	Naval design, software, small smart munitions

Founding dates and ownership structures are based on each company’s own publicly stated corporate information. Several entities have undergone renaming or restructuring over time (e.g. SSM becoming SSB).

ASELSAN: The Electronics Giant

Founded in 1975 by the Turkish Armed Forces Foundation (TSKGV) in Ankara, ASELSAN is Türkiye’s largest defense company by revenue. Its product range spans radar and electronic warfare systems, military communications, remote-controlled weapon stations (such as the SARP turret fitted to the HANÇER unmanned ground vehicle), and short-range air defense systems like HİSAR and KORKUT. ASELSAN is also the principal supplier of the AKKOR active protection system fitted to the ALTAY main battle tank.

Turkish Aerospace (TUSAŞ / TAI): Air and Space

Established in 1984 as Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI), the company now trades under the Turkish Aerospace / TUSAŞ brand. Its flagship programs include the T129 ATAK attack helicopter (licensed from AgustaWestland), the ANKA reconnaissance and strike drone, the HÜRJET jet trainer, and the KAAN fifth-generation fighter program (formerly known as TF-X), which flew for the first time in February 2024. The company also builds reconnaissance and communications satellites.

ROKETSAN: Türkiye’s Missile Powerhouse

Founded in 1988 to build indigenous missile and guided-munition capability, ROKETSAN’s portfolio includes the laser-guided Cirit rocket, the UMTAS anti-tank guided missile, the Atmaca anti-ship missile, the long-range Khan (Tayfun) ballistic missile family, and the Hisar-A/O air defense missile systems co-developed with ASELSAN. ROKETSAN also supplies guided-munition integration for several Turkish artillery and armor programs.

Baykar: From Auto Parts to Combat Drones

A fully private company owned by the Bayraktar family, Baykar began in an unrelated sector before pivoting toward unmanned aerial systems under CTO Selçuk Bayraktar and CEO Haluk Bayraktar. Its Bayraktar TB2 gained global recognition after seeing combat in several regional conflicts over the past decade, followed by the heavier, longer-range Akıncı, and more recently Kızılelma — a jet-powered unmanned fighter aircraft. Baykar is now one of the world’s largest exporters of armed drones by number of client nations.

HAVELSAN: Software, Simulation, Command and Control

Founded in 1982, HAVELSAN specializes in military software, simulation and training systems, and naval command-and-control suites such as ADVENT and GENESIS deployed aboard Turkish naval vessels. In recent years the company has expanded into unmanned ground combat systems with the BARKAN UGV, which entered operational service in 2023.

MKE: Türkiye’s Oldest Defense Manufacturer

MKE (Makina ve Kimya Endüstrisi) is the state’s oldest industrial defense arm, tracing its lineage back to Ottoman-era cannon foundries, with its modern corporate form dating to 1950. It specializes in ammunition across calibers, small arms — most notably the MPT-76 rifle, the Turkish military’s standard-issue service rifle — and heavy artillery, alongside explosives and defense-grade metals.

FNSS: Armored Vehicles

A joint venture between Turkey’s Nurol Holding and UK-based BAE Systems, FNSS was established in 1988 and is headquartered in Ankara. It is one of the region’s leading exporters of wheeled and tracked armored vehicles, with product families including the wheeled PARS, the tracked KAPLAN, and the amphibious assault vehicle ZAHA, developed for the Turkish military alongside the Anadolu-class landing ship. Read more about FNSS →

STM: Naval Design and Smart Munitions

Founded in 1991 under the Turkish Armed Forces Foundation, STM is best known for naval ship design — including the MİLGEM national warship program — alongside defense software development and small precision-guided munitions, notably the KARGU loitering munition built by one of its subsidiaries.

How These Companies Connect

Türkiye’s major defense programs are rarely the work of a single company; they are typically the product of collaboration across this list. The ALTAY tank, for instance, combines a hull built by BMC/Otokar with ASELSAN’s AKKOR active protection system, while unmanned ground vehicles such as BARKAN and HANÇER pair ASELSAN weapon turrets with chassis built by HAVELSAN or Elektroland Defense. This interlocking supply chain is a major reason Turkish domestic content ratios have climbed as high as they have.

Why This Matters for Arab Militaries

Turkish defense companies have become an increasingly significant partner for a number of Arab militaries, whether through direct export contracts — most visibly Baykar’s drone sales across several Arab and African states — or through co-production and technology-transfer agreements. What sets the Turkish offer apart from traditional Western suppliers is the relative absence of the political end-use restrictions often attached to conventional Western arms sources, combined with competitive pricing and combat-proven experience from recent conflicts.

FAQ

Which is Türkiye’s largest defense company by revenue?

ASELSAN is Türkiye’s largest defense company by annual revenue, followed by Turkish Aerospace (TUSAŞ) and ROKETSAN.

Is Baykar a state-owned company?

No. Baykar is a fully private company owned by the Bayraktar family, unlike most other major Turkish defense firms, which are linked to the Turkish Armed Forces Foundation (TSKGV) or the state directly.

Who oversees Türkiye’s defense industry?

The Presidency of Defence Industries (SSB), which reports directly to the Turkish Presidency, handles strategic planning, procurement, and industrial localization policy.

What’s the difference between ASELSAN and ROKETSAN?

ASELSAN specializes in defense electronics — radars, communications, remote weapon stations — while ROKETSAN focuses on missiles and guided munitions. The two companies frequently collaborate, as with the Hisar air defense missile family.