Turkey is strengthening its global defense presence through a new initiative by the Presidency of Defense Industries (SSB). SSB President Haluk Görgün announced that defense industry attachés will be deployed to 23 countries to support Turkish defense companies’ international activities and foster closer ties with foreign military users.

“The attachés will serve as direct communication channels between our defense firms and the end users abroad. They will analyze the defense needs of their respective countries and guide our companies toward the right opportunities,” Görgün explained. The first appointments have already been made, with attachés now stationed in Azerbaijan and Pakistan, two of Turkey’s closest strategic partners. Görgün added that additional posts will soon open in other high-potential and allied nations across multiple continents.

Highlighting the sector’s exceptional performance, Görgün noted that Turkey’s defense and aerospace industry grew by 29% in 2024, signing $20 billion in contracts over two years. The country began 2025 with over $1 billion in new deals in January alone. He stated that the United States and NATO were the top destinations for Turkish defense exports last year, accounting for $3.7 billion in deliveries. “Turkey now ranks as the 11th largest defense exporter in the world, and we are determined to enter the top 10,” Görgün said.

The SSB currently maintains defense cooperation agreements with 87 countries, a testament to Turkey’s rapidly advancing defense capabilities and global credibility. Görgün also emphasized the progress of major domestic projects such as the AI-enhanced “Steel Dome” air defense system, the SİPER 2 long-range missile system, and the KAAN National Combat Aircraft, which is advancing ahead of schedule. “We are delivering technologies that change battlefield doctrines and demonstrate that Turkey can achieve what others deemed impossible,” he remarked.

Through the new attaché program, Turkey aims not only to expand its export network but also to deepen its defense diplomacy with friendly and allied nations. This strategic move marks the beginning of a new phase in Turkey’s global defense engagement, strengthening both industrial and diplomatic ties across continents.