Baykar Akıncı, Anka-3, Aksungur, Kızılelma, Kaan, Atak, Atak-2, Bayraktar TB1 and other Turkish defense industry products are combat vehicles made for the Turkish Air Force (TAF). After its establishment in 1911, the TAF became an air force with many firsts. The force was reorganized in 1923 and redesigned in line with the requirements of the modern era following Türkiye’s entry into NATO in 1952. The new generation fighter jets purchased from the United States and European countries formed the striking power of the TAF.
Although there were many attempts to produce domestic fighter jets between 1923 and 1952, sufficient success was not achieved. Between 1952 and 1974, the fighter jets purchased from Western countries dominated the TAF’s striking power. After the Cyprus Peace Operation, the sanctions imposed on the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) opened the doors to a new production model. This new model involved meeting the needs of the Turkish Armed Forces from domestic sources, led by the state.
The Turkish defense industry model, which considered the army, navy and air force as a whole, achieved incredible successes in land and naval forces. The Turkish Air Force stood out as the most powerful force. In the early 2000s, Türkiye’s defense industry, which was produced on a relatively small scale, was modernized to meet the needs of the era with a new-generation model. Türkiye focused on uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs) and adopted a long-term strategy worth billions of dollars. This strategy aimed to increase the Turkish Air Force’s capacity to operate independently of Western arms industries.
As a reflection of the adopted approach, Turkish unmanned combat aircraft achieved significant successes in Ukraine, Karabakh, Libya, Ethiopia, Iraq and Syria. These successes led to an increase in global interest in Turkish air vehicles. For this reason, SIPRI defines Türkiye as the 10th largest arms exporter in the world. Over 60% of the global UAV market is now dominated by the Turkish defense industry. The export revenues have exceeded $50 billion (TL 1.90 trillion), and annual exports are approaching $10 billion. Baykar Technology alone exports over $2 billion. The company primarily manufactures and sells uncrewed aerial vehicles worldwide.
Ranked ninth in the global military power rankings, the Turkish Air Force has more than a thousand aircraft in its inventory. In uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs), the Turkish Air Force is ranked second after the United States and owns more UAVs than the total number of many armed forces. For example, the UAVs in the inventories of South Korea, France and Germany’s armed forces are almost equal to Türkiye’s total number of UAVs. In global armed force rankings, it can be seen that the air forces ranked higher than the Turkish Armed Forces are behind the Turkish Air Force in terms of UAVs. Especially in terms of field experience, it is possible to say that other countries, excluding the United States, find it challenging to match the striking power of the Turkish Air Force. The production and competitive strength gained in UAVs are also attracting many countries to Türkiye. The operational success of the Turkish Air Force contributes to the increased recognition of the Turkish defense industry.
In recent years, significant collaborations have been developed with Italy, Ukraine, Poland and Spain in the field of air vehicles. While joint efforts are underway with Spain for the production and sale of Hürkuş, Baykar Technology, with the approval of the Italian government, acquired Piaggio. A strategic partnership approach with Poland has been added to the UAV production factory in Ukraine. A similar relationship is being pursued with Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Malaysia. Saudi Arabia prioritizes joint production for Kaan and Kızılelma. Pakistan wants to collaborate with Türkiye on next-generation fighter jets. Malaysia is interested in Atak-1 and Atak-2 attack helicopters. African countries are requesting Turkish UAVs and UCAVs for stability and peace in their own countries. Latin American actors prefer Turkish armored vehicles and are preparing to show interest in the Turkish Air Force’s inventory in the future. A similar situation is occurring in attack helicopters, as with UAVs. The Atak attack helicopter exported to the Philippines is attracting the interest of other countries. It is also being discussed that the government is interested in the Atak-2 helicopter.
Ranked fifth in the world for the number of attack helicopters, the Turkish Air Force is significant and stands out in this regard. A similar situation exists in the Turkish Air Force’s total helicopter stock. According to international organizations, the Turkish Air Force has the seventh-largest helicopter fleet in the world. Turkish air vehicles have become brand values of the national manufacturing industry and are essential for ensuring security and helping to globalize the “Made in Türkiye” concept.
Another outcome of the air vehicle policy adopted by Türkiye is Turkish Airlines (THY). While THY ranks in the top five of global airline rankings, it is preparing to expand its fleet. According to estimates, in 2024, THY will generate over $17 billion in service exports, making it Türkiye’s largest foreign exchange earner by far. In addition, THY contributes to increasing global recognition and stands out as a soft power element, offering global-scale service quality.
The Turkish Air Force, on the other hand, represents hard power with its next-generation, domestically produced aircraft in its inventory. Aside from the security aspect, it significantly contributes to the development of high-tech capacity. The advanced technology gained here can later be transferred to other manufacturing industry firms, helping create new-generation brands and compete on a global scale. As a result, as an output of a strategic policy, the Turkish Armed Forces are modernizing their land, naval and airstrike forces. They are capable of producing cutting-edge technologies of their time. The Turkish Air Force can be considered as one of the brands that benefit most from this ongoing development.