NATO allies 'can learn a lot' from Türkiye’s defense industry revolution, says Rutte

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte on Wednesday said the alliance’s defense industry can learn from Türkiye, describing the country as having undergone a “defense industrial revolution.”

Speaking at the headquarters of Aselsan, one of Türkiye’s leading defense industry firms, Rutte said there is “a lot” the sector can learn from what the country has achieved, pointing to its rapid advances in recent years.

He stressed that accelerating defense industrial production alongside innovation is a “top priority” for NATO, adding that both issues will be central at the alliance’s summit in Ankara in July.

Rutte said NATO allies must “do better” and “do more,” underlining that increased defense spending alone would not ensure security without boosting output of key capabilities such as air defense systems, drones, ammunition, radars and space technologies.

"Of course, we will celebrate that we are able collectively to increase the defense spending, but defense industrial production will be extremely important, because we have to do better, we have to do more, and we can learn a lot from what Türkiye is doing here," he said.

Volatile security environment

Describing the global security environment as increasingly volatile, he pointed to a wide range of threats “from the Arctic to the Mediterranean, from outer space to the seabed,” including missile and drone attacks as well as sophisticated cyber threats.

He cited Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine, China’s military modernization and nuclear expansion, and Iran’s activities in the region "as key sources of instability," noting that Türkiye is directly affected by some of these risks.

Rutte also said NATO had recently intercepted ballistic missiles heading toward Türkiye from Iran on four separate occasions, underscoring the alliance’s readiness to defend all its members.

Türkiye's defense 'revolution'

Reiterating his earlier remarks, he said Türkiye has gone through a “defense industrial revolution,” adding that Aselsan is “at the forefront” of these developments.

He urged the defense firm to “produce and innovate even more and faster.”

He emphasized the role of the defense industry in ensuring collective security, saying that protecting “one billion people across Europe and North America” cannot be achieved by militaries alone. It also requires strong industrial capacity, he said.

Rutte highlighted growing defense cooperation across the alliance, noting that Turkish firms are expanding their footprint abroad, including exports and operations in several European countries, and called for continued collaboration “from Alaska to Ankara.”

"Just recently, as you know, Aselsan sold advanced electronic warfare systems to Poland. You have started operations in Albania and Romania, and you have equipped a vessel for the Croatian Navy," Rutte said.

He also drew attention to the role of young engineers, noting that the average age at Aselsan is around 33 - and possibly even lower.

"So I'm glad to address you, the young engineers who make all of this possible," he added.

Aselsan, headquartered in the Turkish capital Ankara, was founded in 1975, and has grown to be one of the country's largest defense firms, ranking among the top 50 in its field worldwide.

The defense giant became the first Turkish company to reach a $30 billion market value in January 2026.