Turkish defense sector shines with flurry of deals at IDEF 2025

The Turkish defense industry is leaving behind a week crowned with several major international deals, some of them dubbed “historic,” as it concludes hosting a major fair in Istanbul.

The International Defense Industry Fair (IDEF), which took place between July 22 and July 27, brought together numerous domestic and international firms, state agencies, ministries, officials and visitors at a large venue on the European side of Istanbul.

Top Turkish defense companies signed a flurry of deals during the event, including both domestic and international cooperation.

One of the agreements that particularly stood out was the dealfor the sale of 48 Kaan fighter jets to Indonesia, which was finalized this week after being officially announced earlier this year by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

Kaan is Türkiye’s fifth-generation fighter jet, produced by the Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI).

The same company also partnered with aviation giant Airbus to accelerate the export of Türkiye’s jet trainer Hürjet to Spain. In May, Spain signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Türkiye to import Hürjet.

Through the deal, Hürjet is expected to bolster the Spanish aircraft fleet and also add to defense cooperation between Ankara and Madrid, as they already collaborated on the design of Türkiye’s first aircraft carrier, TCG Anadolu.

Eurofighter memorandum

In the first days of IDEF 2025, top Turkish and British defense officials also signed a memorandum of understanding on the supply of Eurofighter jets by Ankara, which, if proceeded with, could see Türkiye obtaining as many as 40 aircraft.

The deal was reached after Germany, one of the European countries involved in the joint production of the jets, lifted its earlier objections regarding the procurement.

Türkiye has been in talks since 2023 to purchase 40 Eurofighter Typhoons, which are built by a consortium of Germany, Britain, Italy and Spain, represented by Airbus, BAE Systems and Leonardo.

Germany reportedly initially opposed the sale but later reversed its position. The U.K. led negotiations on behalf of the consortium.

During the course of the event, the Turkish drone giant Baykar also announced a memorandum with Korean Air, further expanding the scope of its international collaborations in the past year, as it conducted a successful acquisition of Italian Piaggio Aerospace and also launched a joint venture with Leonardo.

Furthermore, Turkish defense and vehicle firm Katmerciler and Malaysian defense firm Deftech signed a cooperation agreement on Thursday to jointly produce and export EREN 4×4 armored vehicles.

Domestic deals

Meanwhile, several other notable deals were signed between domestic companies and organizations during the IDEF 2025.

Turkish defense firm Roketsan signed a deal to deliver its next-generation Sungur air defense systems to the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK). The Sungur air defense system has the longest range in its class and comes equipped with the latest guidance technologies. The system will enter Türkiye’s multi-layered air defense system, Steel Dome.

At the same time, the Presidency of Defense Industries (SSB), the top institution overseeing the domestic defense sector, signed deals with defense contractors Nurol Teknoloji, Garanti Kompozit and Ipek Defense to supply ballistic equipment for personnel, as part of a supply project by the Interior Ministry.

Similarly, a MoU was signed between Turkish defense firm MKE and chemical company Konsept Piroteknik regarding the capacity increase of the energetic materials production facility.

IDEF, as a biennial defense gathering showcasing the growing portfolio of the Turkish defense industry, also served as a platform for the firms to present their newest products.

One of the announcements that topped headlines this week was the unveiling of the first domestic hypersonic missile, named Tayfun Block-4 by Roketsan.

The missile, which reaches hypersonic speeds, is 10 meters (33 feet) long and weighs 7,200 kilograms (15,870 pounds).

Other cutting-edge systems, including those to be integrated into Steel Dome, boats, tactical vehicles, and bombs were among the products displayed at the fair.

Turkish defense industry expanded over the past two decades in the quest for self-sufficiency, to move from the position of importer to exporter. Officials predict it could reach shipments of some $8 billion this year after the record-breaking $7.15 billion last year.

Source: Daily Sabah