Turkey’s Land Systems: Engine of a Rising Defense Power

At the start of 2025, Turkey’s defense industry stood at a historic crossroads. The “2024 Evaluation and 2025 Goals” meeting, held in January at the SSB’s Nuri Demirağ Hall, showcased a confident nation leveraging its growing industrial base to shift from a defense importer into a global exporter. Leading this transformation is Turkey’s land systems sector, a quiet but formidable engine behind the country’s defense resurgence.

Once a relatively modest contributor to Turkey’s military-industrial complex, the land systems segment has undergone a striking evolution in the past decade. In 2010, revenues hovered around just 315 million U.S. dollars. By 2018, that number had surged to 2.4 billion dollars, and the upward trajectory hasn’t slowed since. Export figures tell a similar story: from 220 million dollars in 2013, they grew to over 540 million by 2018, driven largely by markets outside Europe and North America.

By 2022, land platforms had become the most lucrative of Turkey’s defense exports, contributing around 835 million dollars—outperforming even UAVs, missiles, and naval systems. In that year, land systems made up roughly 36 percent of Turkey’s total defense sector turnover, 40 percent of its exports, and a third of its imports. It was a clear signal that land platforms were not just supporting the Turkish Armed Forces, they were redefining the country’s international defense posture.

A Record Year

The momentum carried through 2024, a banner year in which Turkey’s overall defense and aerospace exports surged to a record 7.15 billion dollars, a jump of nearly 29 percent over 2023. While UAVs and guided munitions stole many headlines, land systems played an essential role behind the scenes. More than 4,500 military land vehicles were exported to nearly 40 countries during the year. That achievement reflects not only manufacturing capacity but also rising demand from militaries looking for affordable, reliable alternatives to legacy systems from the West.

What’s more, the growing export volume is supported by a defense industry that is rapidly professionalizing. In 2024, nearly 1,600 companies across the sector contributed to export growth. Of those, 169 firms surpassed one million dollars in foreign sales, a benchmark reflecting the sector’s expanding competitiveness.

The Domestic Powerhouse

While the export story is remarkable, the domestic dimension of Turkey’s land systems sector is no less important. A network of firms, both private and publicly affiliated, anchors this ecosystem. BMC, Nurol Makina, FNSS, Otokar and Hema Industries are among the top players, with BMC alone accounting for 52 percent of land vehicle exports in 2023.

The SSB has long emphasized domestic production and technology transfer, fostering indigenous capacity through strategic licensing deals. Saudi Arabia’s SAMI Land Systems, for instance, has signed local production agreements with FNSS for the PARS ALPHA 8x8 vehicle, with Aselsan for the NEFER unmanned turret, and with Nurol Makina for the Ejder Yalçın tactical vehicle. These deals not only enhance Turkey’s economic footprint abroad but also reinforce its reputation as a reliable partner in the global South.

On the home front, Turkish manufacturers now produce an impressive range of platforms—from 4x4 and 6x6 tactical wheeled vehicles to MRAPs, APCs, floating bridges, and heavy-duty armored recovery and engineering vehicles.

One of the most prominent examples is the Altay main battle tank, a 3rd-generation platform whose serial production officially began in 2025 after years of development. Two tanks were delivered to the Turkish Armed Forces in 2023 for testing, with at least three more expected by the end of this year.

From the Battlefield to the Border

The practical impact of Turkey’s land vehicles is already well-documented. Vehicles such as Otokar’s COBRA I and II, Nurol Makina’s Ejder Yalçın, and BMC’s KIRPI MRAPs have proven instrumental in counter-terror operations, especially in IED-prone areas.

Modernization programs also continue apace. In one example, the Turkish military undertook a comprehensive upgrade of its M48A5 tanks, replacing aging components with thermal sights, 105mm cannons, diesel engines, and advanced rangefinding equipment. Significantly, 61 percent of all spare parts used in the upgrade were sourced locally. These projects not only reduce foreign dependence but also help cultivate a skilled industrial workforce, with hundreds of apprentices trained in the process.

Another promising area is artillery. The Fırtına-II howitzers are now being equipped with locally developed power units—the UTKU engine and transmission—delivered by BMC Power. This marks another step in Turkey’s quest to end reliance on foreign-made propulsion systems, a longtime vulnerability for many developing defense industries.

Export Momentum

International interest in Turkish land platforms continues to rise. In 2024, Romania signed a landmark 940 million dollar deal for hundreds of Cobra II vehicles from Otokar. The first 278 units are being built in Turkey, with the remainder assembled in Romania—a testament to Turkey’s ability to structure flexible, partner-focused deals.

Meanwhile, FNSS has entered serial production for its next-generation PARS ALPHA vehicles, destined for the Turkish Armed Forces. These modular 8x8s reflect a shift toward smarter, more versatile vehicles capable of serving both reconnaissance and frontline combat roles.

Otokar, too, is expanding its reach. At the IDEX 2025 exhibition in Abu Dhabi, the company unveiled its latest tracked and wheeled platforms, showcasing a growing product portfolio already trusted by more than 70 military and security users across the world. Over 33,000 Otokar vehicles are currently in service globally, a staggering figure for a company that began as a domestic producer just a few decades ago.

Looking Ahead

SSB President Haluk Görgün has laid out a bold vision for 2025 and beyond. Along with further Altay tank deliveries, Turkey plans to hand over its first batch of HÜRKUŞ trainer aircraft this year. Development of the fifth-generation KAAN fighter jet continues, with the goal of fielding a fully indigenous engine by the 2030s. While these air programs are ambitious, the land systems sector remains the most mature and immediately impactful branch of the defense industry.

Görgün also pointed to the growing productivity of the workforce itself. The defense sector now employs nearly 100,000 people, with export value per employee averaging around 70,000 dollars. Though this still trails global giants like Lockheed Martin and Rafael, which stand at 150,000 and 240,000 respectively, Turkish firms such as BAYKAR are pushing the envelope, boasting per-employee export figures of 300,000 dollars.

Strategic Significance

Turkey’s land systems sector is no longer just a supplier to its national military—it is a strategic tool for foreign policy, defense diplomacy, and industrial empowerment. By building NATO-compliant vehicles that are battle-tested, cost-effective, and scalable, Turkey has carved out a unique position in the global defense market.

With every tank produced, every vehicle exported, and every engine domestically developed, Turkey is moving closer to its goal of defense self-sufficiency. Land systems may lack the glamour of fighter jets or drones, but they are the workhorses of a growing defense empire, and increasingly, they’re the ones pulling the load.