Turkey Signs NATO Defense Industry Deals in 5 Strategic Capability Areas
Turkey signed agreements under the 2026 NATO Defense Industry Forum on several strategic capability areas to be developed jointly by member states, the head of the country’s Defense Industries Secretariat said Tuesday.
Haluk Gorgun said on Turkish social media platform NSosyal that the agreements cover strike capabilities, integrated air and missile defense systems, space and surveillance capabilities, critical raw materials for the defense industry, and NATO’s unmanned aerial vehicle superiority, Anadolu Agency reported.
“These projects, which will include Aselsan, Roketsan, STM and the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK), will form the backbone of the alliance's deterrence architecture in the coming years,” Gorgun said.
The NATO Summit Defense Industry Forum is being held in Ankara as part of the July 7-8 NATO Summit, bringing together senior allied officials, defense industry representatives, and innovation leaders.
NATO describes the forum as its premier high-level event on transatlantic defense production, investment and innovation, with this year’s agenda focused on increasing defense production, cooperation and joint procurement across the alliance.
The forum comes as NATO allies seek to expand industrial capacity and reinforce deterrence amid rising security challenges, with Turkey positioning its defense industry as a key contributor to alliance capabilities.