An insight into today’s Turkish military industry

Abstract

Until the 2000’s Turkey was really dependent on foreign manufacturers to fulfill its defense and military needs. To import foreign products was essential, and the country’s import of arms and military products was really high. But nowadays Turkey is more and more close to the defense autarky, what is more the country is becoming an important manufacturer of military product and exporter. In several places of the world they order and use Turkish-made military vehicles, devices, arms. Turkish military products have already been used in armed conflicts worldwide. Turkey led by Justice and Development Party (AKP) and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan set itself the objective to reach defense autarky in few years. This would prevent Turkey from being dependent on foreign military manufacturers in any armed conflict, like it was in the fight against Cyprus in 1974. This study would like to give an insight into today’s Turkish military industry.