Germany appears to be turning toward cooperation with the Turkish defense industry to strengthen its capabilities, and one area of this could be drones, according to a new report.
A senior German military official said in an interview with the Turkish-language publication of German public service DW on Thursday that Germany should consider buying Turkish drones as Berlin seeks to strengthen its defense capabilities following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The war in Ukraine has fundamentally changed Germany’s security policy. In the past, Berlin was reluctant to make significant investments in defense, but after February 2022, it has been looking for ways to provide military support to Ukraine while also strengthening its own defense capacity.
The government, led by Chancellor Friedrich Merz, also announced plans for a massive increase in spending on infrastructure and defense as part of a new fund.
Shares of German defense giant Rheinmetall, which were at 96 euros ($111) just before the Russia-Ukraine conflict, are now hovering around 1,700 euros, which corresponds to an increase of approximately 1,560%.
“The Ukraine war has revealed NATO’s insufficient defense production capacity,” defense analyst Çağlar Kurç said.
“Since the war began, NATO countries, especially European countries, have been working to increase their production capabilities,” Kurç told DW Türkçe.
“Rheinmetall is trying to meet the needs of Germany and Ukraine by utilizing production capacities in many different countries.”
At the same time, Türkiye, which has the second-largest army in NATO and a growing defense industry, emerged as a prominent country in Germany’s search for partners.
The topic of cooperation in defense was a significant agenda item in last week’s meeting between Merz and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
“We need to put past issues in the supply of defense industry products behind us and focus on joint projects,” Erdoğan stated at the time.
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul also mentioned this during his visit to Ankara three weeks ago, highlighting particularly Türkiye’s role in NATO.
“We are pleased that the defense industries of our two countries are able to cooperate with each other. There are many projects nearing completion in this regard. Türkiye is a reliable and central NATO partner for us, and therefore, it is natural that our defense industries cooperate closely with each other. Who else could we collaborate with besides NATO partners?” he said during a visit, according to a transcript of his speech in Turkish media.
‘Both sides can benefit’
A senior bureaucrat in the organization responsible for the procurement of weapons and equipment of the German army (BAAINBw) noted with concern that the number of reliable partners around Germany has been decreasing in light of global geopolitical developments.
The bureaucrat, who commented on Germany’s defense cooperation plans with Türkiye on the condition of anonymity, said: “With developments in Ukraine and around China, the world suddenly became very small. Despite all differences, when we talk about Türkiye, we are discussing a very well-positioned, strong NATO partner militarily. Therefore, both sides can benefit from this partnership and learn from each other.”
Benedikt Meng, who has worked in the German defense industry for many years and is familiar with the field, remarked to DW Türkçe: “Because Türkiye is an important NATO ally and a key player in the Middle East and the Caucasus, deepening relations in defense and industrial policies in line with common security interests is certainly advantageous for Germany.”
“Moreover, Türkiye can be not only a cooperation partner but also a market for the German and European defense industry,” he added.
For the first time in 2022, four Turkish companies – Baykar, Aselsan, Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI), and Roketsan – made it to the list of the world’s largest 100 defense companies. In this context, reports in mainstream German media described the Turkish defense sector as an “emerging industry.”
Although German and Turkish politicians have yet to share concrete details about the planned cooperation in defense, some concrete collaborations are reportedly taking shape. Under an agreement signed at the start of 2025, Turkish defense company Repkon will produce 155 mm artillery shells in Germany from 2027 onwards. This ammunition is used in howitzers that comply with NATO standards and thus also in the systems used in Ukraine.
‘Excluding Türkiye would be a mistake’
Kurç, as part of his remarks, also expressed that Türkiye’s current role in defense is not receiving the recognition it deserves.
“Türkiye’s production capacity, willingness to cooperate, and the quality of its companies are important resources for the development of European defense,” DW Türkçe quoted him as saying.
“Under these conditions, excluding Türkiye would be a mistake for Europe. Germany is beginning to see Türkiye’s value for European defense.”
Kurç stressed that Europe utilizing Türkiye’s capabilities is important for strengthening European defense. “Increasing Türkiye’s production capabilities means increasing NATO’s production capabilities.”
“One of the best examples of this is the developments in the unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) field. While Europe is still trying to realize the Eurodrone project, Türkiye has at least two equivalent UAV systems for almost every mission.”
Closer look at Turkish UAVs
A German military official expressed the opinion that Germany should “definitely take a closer look” at Turkish UAVs.
The bureaucrat indicated that Türkiye is “quite advanced” in this field and stated: “In terms of market analyses and cooperation opportunities, Türkiye is certainly worth engaging.”
“Türkiye has developed an impressive knowledge base that can contribute to joint projects in the field of UAVs and other flying platforms,” Meng also remarked.
Additionally, he noted that elements of the Turkish-German defense cooperation can already be seen in TB2s, mentioning that sensors from the company Hensoldt are used in Bayraktars.
It can already be said that Europe and Türkiye have started to cooperate on UAV technology. In June, Italian defense company Leonardo and Turkish drone pioneer Baykar established a joint venture called “LBA Systems.”
Moreover, Türkiye’s formal inclusion in Europe’s security architecture may soon be on the agenda. The European Commission is evaluating Ankara’s application to participate in the EU’s new rearmament program, Security Action for Europe (SAFE).
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Wednesday underlined Ankara’s aim to be part of the scheme, citing the country’s role as a critical security provider for the EU.
“Türkiye is a NATO ally who provides a critical contribution to Europe’s security and in this framework, it is of great importance that Türkiye is included in the EU’s defense and security initiatives, including the SAFE mechanism,” he told journalists during a Helsinki visit.
Currently, there are reports of Greece’s objections to the matter, but if resolved, Türkiye might become a key player in ensuring Europe’s security.
Source: Daily Sabah
