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NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said Wednesday that 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 firms, Rutte pointed to the country’s rapid progress in recent years.
“We have to do better, we have to do more, and we can learn a lot from what Türkiye is doing here,” he said.
“I said it before, Türkiye has gone through a defense industrial revolution,” he added.
Rutte also said the alliance would do “what’s necessary to defend” its members, including Türkiye, after intercepting missiles fired from Iran in recent weeks.
“In recent weeks, NATO has successfully intercepted ballistic missiles heading to Türkiye from Iran on four separate occasions,” he said.
Türkiye, which borders Iran and is a member of the U.S.-led alliance, has largely avoided the scale of retaliation seen in other parts of the Middle East before the ceasefire.
NATO forces intercepted ballistic missiles on four occasions, prompting the deployment of a Patriot missile battery at Incirlik Air Base in southern Türkiye.
“Iran is spreading terror and chaos, and you feel this prominently here in Türkiye,” Rutte told journalists.
“NATO is prepared for such threats and will always do what is necessary to defend Türkiye and all others. And we cannot do it alone,” he added.
Praising Türkiye’s defense capabilities, Rutte said allies can draw lessons from its experience.
“This is needed because we live in a more dangerous world … and that means we need strong defenses to protect our security,” he said.
“Türkiye has gone through a defense industrial revolution. I could really say it’s a revolution in recent years,” he added.
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, 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 employee 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 said.
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.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan received Rutte in Ankara on Wednesday, diplomatic sources said.
A day earlier, Turkish National Defense Minister Yasar Guler also met with the NATO chief during his official visit.
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Rutte’s trip comes ahead of a NATO leaders’ summit scheduled for July in Ankara. He is also expected to meet President Recep Tayyip Erdogan during his visit.
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