Turkey Emerges as NATO's Indispensable Industrial Power

Introduction: Ankara, the West's new showcase of power

A summit that crowns Turkey's rise

The NATO summit set for Ankara on July 7 and 8, 2026, marks a symbolic turning point for Turkey, whose role within the Atlantic Alliance has grown steadily in recent years. According to the Washington Post, Donald Trump's expected attendance at this summit will put particular emphasis on Turkey's new prominence, driven by a booming defense industry.

Choosing Ankara as host city is no accident: it reflects Western allies' recognition of the growing strategic role Turkey plays in European security architecture, both as an arms producer and as a geographic anchor point between Europe, the Middle East, and the Black Sea.

Defense exports on an explosive trajectory

Turkish defense exports reached roughly 10.05 billion dollars in 2025, a spectacular jump of about 48 percent from the previous year, according to figures reported by Anadolu Agency. This meteoric growth illustrates Turkey's rapid transformation into a major industrial player in the global military sector.

Even more significantly, roughly 56 to 57 percent of these exports go to NATO member states, the European Union, or the United States itself, a clear sign of the Turkish defense industry's growing integration into the Western collective-security ecosystem.

The spectacular rise of the Turkish drone industry

Bayraktar, a name that became synonymous with air power

Turkey now supplies roughly 65 percent of the armed drones used around the world, a remarkable statistic that places the country atop a booming strategic market. The Bayraktar TB2 drone, produced by Baykar, has become an international symbol of this Turkish industrial success, especially since its effective use by Ukrainian forces against the Russian invasion.

This Turkish dominance in the military drone sector was built over years of sustained investment in research and development, a strategy that is now paying off both diplomatically and economically for Ankara.

A technology that changed the course of certain conflicts

The proven effectiveness of Turkish drones on the Ukrainian battlefield has considerably boosted the international reputation of the Turkish defense industry, attracting new customers among Western countries eager to diversify their military supply sources amid growing geopolitical tensions with Russia, China, and Iran.

This reputation, built on concrete results rather than mere sales pitches, is today one of Turkey's most valuable assets in its negotiations with its NATO partners.

Turkey's strategic geographic position within NATO

An irreplaceable bridge between three continents

Turkey's geographic position, at the hinge of Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, gives it a strategic importance few other NATO members can claim. This unique geography makes Ankara indispensable to any Western containment strategy against Russia, Iran, and the terrorist networks active in the region.

Turkish control of the Bosphorus and Dardanellesstraits, regulated by the Montreux Convention, also gives Ankara considerable strategic leverage over Russian naval access to the Mediterranean Sea, a geopolitical asset Turkey has skillfully exploited since the Russian invasion of Ukraine began in 2022.

A direct border with zones of tension

Turkey shares direct borders with Syria and Iraq, two zones of persistent conflict, as well as immediate proximity to Iran, making it an essential forward post for Western surveillance of threats emanating from this unstable region of the world.

This front-line position partly explains why Western allies, despite occasional political tensions with Ankara, keep investing in strengthening their strategic partnership with Turkey within the Atlantic Alliance.

The historical tensions between Turkey and its Western allies

The F-35 jets dossier still unresolved

Despite this industrial rise, relations between Turkey and its Western allies have not always been smooth, notably after Ankara was excluded from the F-35 fighter jet program over Turkey's acquisition of the Russian S-400 air-defense system, a decision that deeply angered Washington several years ago.

This dossier, still unresolved, illustrates the persistent complexity of Turkish-American relations, torn between the strategic necessity of keeping Turkey within the Western fold and legitimate concerns over some of Ankara's military procurement choices from Russia.

A gradual reconciliation driven by Trump

The Trump administration has nonetheless sought to recalibrate this complex relationship, favoring a pragmatic approach centered on shared strategic interests rather than past technological disputes, an orientation that appears to be paying off as the Ankara summit of July 7 and 8, 2026, approaches.

This gradual reconciliation, though still fragile, reflects a shared willingness to move past old tensions in order to consolidate a strategic partnership deemed essential in the face of challenges posed by Russia, China, and Iran.

The Ankara summit as a diplomatic showcase

A strong symbolic choice for the Alliance

Choosing Ankara to host this major NATO summit on July 7 and 8, 2026, is in itself a powerful diplomatic signal, explicitly recognizing the growing role Turkey plays in Western security architecture, at a moment when Alliance cohesion against Russia has never been more crucial.

This summit is expected to address several sensitive issues, notably the level of defense spending among various Alliance members, a subject on which Turkey has consistently exceeded NATO's targets in recent years.

An opportunity to strengthen transatlantic cohesion

Donald Trump's expected presence at this summit, according to the Washington Post, also offers an opportunity to strengthen transatlantic cohesion at a time when some European allies worry about the steadiness of America's commitment to collective European defense.

This American presidential visit to Ankara could thus help reassure Western allies about the solidity of the strategic partnership between Washington and Ankara, despite occasional bilateral tensions in recent years.

The Turkish defense industry as a tool of national power

A deliberate industrial strategy spanning two decades

The rise of the Turkish defense industry is no accident but the result of a deliberate industrial strategy pursued for more than two decades by successive Turkish authorities, aimed at reducing the country's dependence on foreign suppliers while building a globally competitive export capacity.

This strategy has paid off especially visibly in recent years, with Turkish companies like Baykar, Aselsan, and Roketsan establishing themselves as indispensable players in the global arms market.

A tool of diplomatic as much as economic influence

Beyond its direct economic benefits, this thriving defense industry also serves as a tool of diplomatic influence for Ankara, boosting its clout with client countries across regions as diverse as Africa, Central Asia, and the Middle East, while consolidating its position within the Atlantic Alliance.

This dual economic and diplomatic function explains why the Turkish government continues to invest massively in developing new military capabilities, from drones to air-defense systems to armored vehicles.

The persistent challenges despite this industrial success

Democratic concerns that remain

Despite this undeniable industrial success, Turkey continues to raise legitimate concerns among its Western allies about the state of its internal democratic governance, questions that sometimes complicate diplomatic relations between Ankara and its European and North American partners.

These very real concerns have not, however, stopped Western allies from continuing to deepen their military and industrial cooperation with Turkey, a pragmatic choice dictated by current strategic imperatives against Russia, China, and Iran.

A delicate balance between values and strategic interests

This delicate balance between upholding Western democratic values and the strategic necessity of maintaining a solid partnership with Turkey illustrates the sometimes uncomfortable compromises the Atlantic Alliance must accept in an increasingly tense geopolitical context.

This dilemma is not unique to Turkey and appears in several other Western strategic partnerships, where immediate security imperatives sometimes outweigh broader concerns about internal governance.

Turkey facing the Russian, Iranian, and Chinese threats

A key player in deterring Moscow

Turkey plays a key role in Western deterrence against Russia, notably through its strategic control of the straits linking the Black Sea to the Mediterranean, a lever Ankara has used with caution but firmness since the Russian invasion of Ukraine began in 2022.

This strategic position gives Turkey a particular responsibility in maintaining Western pressure on Moscow, a role it has broadly fulfilled despite still-active bilateral economic ties with Russia on certain energy matters.

A necessary vigilance toward Iran and China

Turkey's geographic proximity to Iran also demands constant vigilance from Ankara against Tehran's regional ambitions, while China's growing economic influence in the region, notably through its infrastructure investments, likewise calls for sustained attention from Turkish authorities and their Western allies.

This triple vigilance toward Russia, Iran, and China reinforces Turkey's strategic importance to the entire Atlantic Alliance, a role the Ankara summit of July 7 and 8, 2026, should help consolidate further.

The economic benefits of this military rise

A sector energizing the Turkish economy

Beyond geopolitical considerations, the growth of the Turkish defense industry produces significant economic benefits for the country, creating skilled jobs and generating substantial export revenue that helps stabilize a Turkish economy otherwise grappling with persistent challenges, notably inflation.

This booming industrial sector is also attracting growing foreign investment, strengthening Turkey's position as a regional technology and industrial hub, particularly attractive to Western partners seeking to diversify their military supply chains.

A model that could inspire other emerging countries

Turkish success in the defense sector could serve as a model for other emerging countries seeking to develop their own military industry, showing that it is possible to build, in just two decades, a globally competitive industrial sector starting from an initially limited technological base.

This Turkish model, though difficult to fully replicate elsewhere, offers valuable lessons on how to combine sustained public investment, strategic international partnerships, and long-term industrial ambition.

Bilateral military partnerships with Western countries

A diversification of clients within NATO

Turkey has considerably diversified its bilateral military partnerships with several NATO member states in recent years, exporting its drones and other military equipment to European countries eager to quickly strengthen their own defense capabilities against the persistent Russian threat.

This diversification of clients within the Atlantic Alliance itself illustrates the growing trust placed in the quality and reliability of military equipment produced by Turkish industry, a recognition that would have seemed improbable just a decade ago.

Co-production agreements that deepen the ties

Beyond simple equipment sales, Turkey has also signed several co-production agreements with Western partners, enabling mutual technology transfer that deepens the industrial and strategic ties between Ankara and its NATO allies.

These co-production agreements represent a significant evolution from the simpler trade relations of the past, reflecting an increasingly deep industrial integration between Turkey and the rest of the Atlantic Alliance.

Turkey's role in supporting Ukraine

A balancing act between Kyiv and Moscow

Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine began in 2022, Turkey has adopted a cautious balancing act, providing significant military support to Kyiv, notably through its Bayraktardrones, while keeping diplomatic and economic channels open with Moscow on certain specific matters.

This position, sometimes criticized by certain Western allies for its apparent ambiguity, nonetheless allowed Turkey to play an occasional mediating role in certain negotiations between Kyiv and Moscow, notably on humanitarian and grain-related matters.

Concrete military support that has proven its worth

Turkish military support for Ukraine, though less publicized than that of major Western powers like the United States, Germany, or France, has nonetheless played a tangible role in Ukraine's capacity to resist Russian aggression, notably thanks to the proven effectiveness of Bayraktardrones on the battlefield.

This Turkish contribution to supporting Ukraine strengthens Turkey's legitimacy as a reliable partner of the Atlantic Alliance, despite the persistent nuances of its diplomatic stance toward Russia.

The outlook for Turkish industrial power

Technological ambitions that keep growing

Turkey has no intention of stopping at its current successes in the drone field and is actively pursuing new advanced technological capabilities, notably in combat aviation, air-defense systems, and naval technologies, with the ambition of further strengthening its strategic autonomy.

These growing technological ambitions, if realized in the years ahead, could further cement Turkey's position as an indispensable military-industrial power within the Atlantic Alliance and beyond.

A role set to grow further within NATO

The Ankara summit of July 7 and 8, 2026, could thus mark a further step in consolidating Turkey's role within the Atlantic Alliance, at a time when Western solidarity against the combined threats of Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea has never been more essential.

Turkey's upward trajectory within NATO appears set to continue in the years ahead, propelled by a dynamic defense industry and an irreplaceable strategic geographic position for all Western allies.

What Turkish success teaches the West as a whole

The importance of industrial autonomy in defense

Turkish industrial success offers a valuable lesson to Western countries as a whole about the crucial importance of building solid industrial autonomy in defense, rather than depending excessively on outside suppliers for essential strategic military equipment.

This lesson resonates especially at a moment when several European countries are seeking to accelerate their own rearmament against the persistent Russian threat, while trying to reduce their historical dependence on American military equipment.

An example of long-term strategic consistency

Beyond purely industrial aspects, Turkish success also illustrates the importance of long-term strategic consistency, with Turkey having sustained investment in its defense industry for more than two decades before fully reaping the rewards on the international stage.

This strategic patience, rare in a political context often dominated by short-term thinking, deserves to be highlighted as an example for other Western countries tempted by faster but less durable solutions.

The military training and human expertise behind this success

Military engineering schools feeding the sector

Behind Turkish industrial success also lies sustained investment in training engineers and specialized technicians, notably through Turkish technical universities working closely with the country's major defense companies like Baykar, Aselsan, and Roketsan.

This base of human expertise, patiently built over several generations of Turkish engineers, is an often underestimated but fundamental asset of the country's industrial success in the defense sector.

An innovation ecosystem that keeps expanding

This Turkish innovation ecosystem keeps expanding thanks to growing partnerships with Western universities and research centers, further strengthening the technological and scientific ties between Turkey and its Atlantic Alliance allies.

This educational and scientific dimension of Turkish success deserves recognition, as it guarantees long-term continuity of the expertise needed to maintain the country's industrial competitiveness in a sector undergoing constant technological change.

Conclusion: Turkey, a consolidated pillar of the Atlantic Alliance

A status that is now hard to dispute

As the Ankara summit of July 7 and 8, 2026, approaches, Turkey's status as an indispensable industrial and strategic pillar of the Atlantic Alliance now appears hard to dispute. With record defense exports approaching 10 billion dollars in 2025 and an irreplaceable geographic position, Ankara has turned natural advantages and a patient industrial strategy into genuine influence within NATO.

This success, praised by the Washington Post ahead of Donald Trump's visit, should not, however, overshadow the persistent tensions and challenges that continue to mark relations between Turkey and some of its Western allies, notably on questions of internal democratic governance.

A partnership set to strengthen against shared threats

Facing the combined threats of Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea, this strategic partnership between Turkey and the rest of the Atlantic Alliance nonetheless appears set to strengthen further in the years ahead, driven by increasingly intertwined security and industrial interests between Ankara and its Western allies.

The Ankara summit could thus come to symbolize this new era of deepened cooperation, with Turkey finally occupying the central place its industrial power and geographic position fully justify within the Atlantic Alliance.

By Maxime Marquette, columnist

Columnist's transparency note

How I built this profile

This profile relies on information reported by the Washington Post concerning Donald Trump's expected presence at the NATO summit in Ankara, as well as data published by Anadolu Agency concerning Turkish defense exports in 2025. I also consulted analyses published on Substack and general information available about the Ankara summit of July 7 and 8, 2026.

I had no access to any direct Turkish government source nor to any confidential NATO document concerning the discussions planned for this summit. The figures cited reflect publicly available data at the time this piece was written, on July 6, 2026.

The limits of this profile

Certain estimates regarding Turkey's market share in the global military drone sector vary depending on the source consulted, and I have relied here on the figures most widely reported by recognized journalistic sources, while acknowledging the difficulty of obtaining perfectly uniform statistics in this sector.

Sources

Primary sources

Washington Post — Trump's attendance at NATO summit will highlight Turkey's new prominence — July 3, 2026

Anadolu Agency — Factbox: NATO defense spending, where allies stand ahead of Ankara summit

Secondary sources

Ahmedoglu — Turkiye, from the margins to the center of the Atlantic Alliance

Reuters — Aerospace and defense section

Wikipedia — 2026 Ankara NATO summit

Forbes — What defense leaders will discuss at the 2026 NATO summit