Turkish defense makers attract global majors, expand partnerships

Globally recognized for its drones, the Turkish defense industry is building on the momentum and has recently added a new partnership with a leading global defense company focusing on the development of uncrewed air systems (UAS).

Following the collaboration between Turkish drone pioneer Baykar and Italy’s Leonardo, ranked among the world’s top defense firms, Ankara-based Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) in recent days reached an agreement with the U.K.-based BAE Systems.

“Under the signed memorandum of understanding (MoU), both parties will target joint opportunities in the field of future uncrewed systems,” TAI said in a post on X.

According to TAI sources, the two companies will cooperate on unmanned aerial systems and related technologies to meet growing customer demands.

The partnership will build on the strong existing relationship between the two firms. Through this cooperation, TAI aims to further enhance its proven capabilities in unmanned systems, accelerate progress, and jointly pursue new market opportunities.

“The agreement builds on the strong existing relationship between both companies and will allow us to bring our already proven uncrewed systems capabilities to new heights. We want to jointly explore how we can accelerate progress and new market opportunities in this field,” said TAI CEO Mehmet Demiroğlu.

“We see this as the start of a deep and meaningful alliance between our two organizations, each bringing complementary skills and capabilities to the table and a strong portfolio of uncrewed assets which we can leverage and combine to create a range of compelling and cost-effective solutions,” said Dave Holmes, managing director at BAE Systems FalconWorks division.

BAE Systems is the world’s sixth-largest defense contractor, based on the data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) for 2023.

Notably, the memorandum between BAE Systems and TAI, one of the top domestic manufacturers and the maker of the Turkish fifth-generation fighter jet Kaan, comes following the recent visit by the British Prime Minister Keir to Ankara, which heralded closer defense cooperation and the signing of a deal to supply Ankara with 20 Typhoon fighter jets.

BAE Systems, along with Airbus and Leonardo, is a member of the consortium producing the jets.

It can also be seen as a sign of broader cooperation between Türkiye and European nations. Recently, the Spanish government has authorized the procurement of a new system for modern fighter pilot training featuring a customized version of the supersonic Turkish-made Hürjet, whose maker is also TAI.

Similarly, earlier this year, Baykar and Leonardo announced the establishment of a joint venture dedicated to the development of unmanned technologies, named LBA Systems.

According to the recent Turkish and international media reports, citing the CEO of Leonardo, Roberto Cingolani, it is said that five different unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), including Kızılelma, would be produced at three different sites in Italy.

Baykar has also acquired Italy’s Piaggio Aerospace. The company, recognized especially for its Bayraktar TB2 drones, has supplied its products to dozens of countries, including EU members such as Poland and Croatia.

Other Turkish defense companies also boast growing European presence, including, for example, Otokar, which entered a deal to supply Romania with more than 1,000 of its Cobra II 4×4 armored vehicles.

Uncrewed systems, on the other hand, are, according to many analysts, seen as an important domain for the future of air defense, partly also due to relatively lower costs when compared to traditional advanced fighter jets.

Source: Daily Sabah