NATO chief says alliance ‘already benefits’ from Türkiye’s defence industry

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on Monday said the alliance is already benefiting from Türkiye’s defence industrial output, describing ASELSAN as one example among roughly 3,000 defence companies operating in the country. At a pre‑summit news conference in Ankara, Rutte underlined Türkiye’s strategic importance within NATO, citing its geographic location and rapidly expanding defence industrial base. “NATO is already very much profiting from what Türkiye is doing in terms of the defence industrial output,” Rutte told reporters.

ASELSAN is among the five companies selected by the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) last year for NATO’s Modular Air Defence Concept Stage. The company is also preparing new deliveries of Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) systems and communication solutions. Rutte also thanked President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his team for hosting allied leaders at what he described as a “fantastic venue”.

Turning to the alliance’s broader defence priorities, Rutte urged allies to convert increased defence spending into concrete military capabilities. “Allies must translate our economic might into military capabilities,” he said, calling on members to put “cash to work” for drones, missiles and air defence interceptors. Those efforts are expected to take centre stage at Tuesday’s NATO Summit Defence Industry Forum, where allied governments and defence companies will unveil new defence contracts and multinational industrial initiatives.