Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday inaugurated a $1.5 billion research and development complex for state-owned defense contractor Aselsan Elektronik Sanayi Ve Ticaret AS, marking the country’s biggest single investment in its defense industry to date.
Speaking at the construction site of Aselsan’s new Ogulbey Technology Base near Ankara, Erdogan hailed the project as a milestone in Turkey’s efforts to achieve greater self-sufficiency in advanced weapons systems. “It is the largest single defense-industry investment in the history of our republic,” he said.
The new facility will be central to the development and production of high-tech components for Turkey’s expanding missile program, including radars, sensors, and smart-munitions electronics. Aselsan also delivered 47 components of its “Steel Dome” defense system to the Turkish military on the same day as the announcement.
The investment underscores Erdogan’s broader strategy of building a robust domestic defense sector. In recent years, NATO-member Turkey has accelerated efforts to manufacture its own warplanes, frigates, drones, and ballistic missiles, expanding its military influence in the Middle East. Aselsan has been at the forefront of this push, participating in nearly all of the country’s major projects.
Earlier this year, the company announced it would receive $616 million in government incentives for the production of Steel Dome components. Its financial performance has also mirrored its growing strategic importance: Aselsan’s shares on the Borsa Istanbul 100 Index have surged 153% this year, lifting its market capitalization to around $20 billion.
With the new facility, Turkey aims to position itself as a global player in defense technology while reducing reliance on foreign suppliers—an ambition Erdogan has increasingly tied to the country’s national security and geopolitical clout.
