Türkiye becoming 'pole of new international system': Erdogan

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told graduating cadets at the National Defense University on Friday that Türkiye is advancing toward becoming “one of the poles of the new international system,” stressing that the global security paradigm is undergoing a radical transformation. Speaking at the graduation ceremony, he noted that artificial intelligence and emerging technologies are profoundly reshaping defense and security operations.

Erdogan said modern conflicts extend far beyond traditional battlefields to include cyberattacks and disinformation campaigns targeting critical infrastructure, energy lines, and trade routes. “Wars are no longer fought only on the battlefield. They are also waged through cyberattacks and disinformation campaigns. Critical infrastructure, energy transmission lines, and trade routes are being targeted by kamikaze drones,” he said, adding that unmanned aerial and naval vehicles along with AI-driven software now determine military outcomes.

Defense industry milestones

The Turkish defense industry has achieved an 82% domestic production rate, with equipment tested directly in the field and refined based on operational feedback, Erdogan noted. Engineers, software developers, and nearly 4,000 companies operating in the sector continue to add new achievements daily, enabling Türkiye to equip its security forces with state-of-the-art domestically produced hardware.

Highlighting record-breaking export figures, Erdogan said Türkiye exported more than $11 billion in defense and aerospace products over the past 12 months. “Our (defense) exports this January-June reached $4.665 billion, up nearly 30% from the same period last year. In June alone, we exported products worth $803 million,” he stated, underscoring the sector's rapid growth.