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Shortly after the Twelve-Day War between Israel and Iran in June, in light of Israel's air force dominance and Iran's superior missile technology, many Turkish citizens were left wondering if Türkiye takes necessary steps towards such military focus points.
Turkish political leadership did not rush to show military muscles in panic; a few under-the-radar statements assuring the public of Türkiye's military might were voiced amid the intense public curiosity. In such a context, this week's IDEF 2025 fair represents a milestone and a clear but calculated response to the vast public interest in Türkiye's military technology as the first major defense event after the short-lived war between the two Middle Eastern nations.
Türkiye’s first hypersonic missile, Tayfun Block 4, was presented publicly for the first time at IDEF 2025. Shortly before the event, it was announced that Türkiye's Steel Dome—an upgraded, multilayered version of Israel's Iron Dome—was activated to protect the Turkish homeland. Türkiye’s declaration of increasing military might with local production came a month after the Israel-Iran war, without fanfare as it should be. According to Tayfun Block 4’s specifications, its high-speed and advanced maneuverability would pose a serious challenge to present air defense systems in Türkiye’s region, some of which were torn apart by missile attacks in recent weeks.
Apart from the military strength and increasing local defence production capacity in recent years, IDEF 2025 also points to a fact: Türkiye's newly rising military industrial complex has started to exhibit more political power in the nation. Investments in the defense sector and new military technologies are an important factor in Turkish people's voting behaviour.
Local products reached 80% of Türkiye's defense output recently, and a new defense economy is rising in the country year by year. Many Turks across the political spectrum connect the boost in the defense sector as a result of President Erdogan’s principled leadership, despite some of them opposing Erdogan due to economic and social policies, and accuse him of instigating a political case against former Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, who was arrested over corruption charges.
Turkish military production is highly diverse, including local air defense systems, missile technology, fighter jets, and high-tech military vessels. HAVELSAN and ASELSAN, two large defense firms, are operated by endowments established by the Turkish Army. Batu Coskun, a Turkish political analyst, says Türkiye’s persistent investment in both state and private defense sector created a ‘new set of political elites that derive their influence from the novel setting of civil-military relations.’
Countless contractors and private companies resulted in a large ecosystem in the defense sector, creating jobs for tens of thousands of engineers and technicians. Türkiye’s security institutions, including professional army, intelligence, and police departments, are larger and arguably more effective and coherent than ever.
The general perception among Turks is that if Erdogan loses next presidential elections, Türkiye’s defense production would suffer a major setback. Such a concern surpasses political dislike, or even political hate for the president’s policies in a "Türkiye context." The Iran-Israel war boosted a feeling for strong leadership among Turkish people, despite Erdogan not using the topic for self-serving political purposes. And, Türkiye is certainly not Iran, where large military parades with fanfare are tied to the survival of a regime. Erdogan benefits from the boots in Türkiye’s defense production and tech politically, but does not tie it to his political survival, at least publicly.
Another crucial aspect is the approach of private defense companies to Erdogan’s political survival. Companies’ support for Erdogan’s policies is vocal, and such an endorsement shapes public opinion. No president in the young republic’s history has invested in local defense production as much as Erdogan. Private local companies are urged to export, and Türkiye’s diplomatic missions are acting as their export offices. Such a generous support from the bureaucracy is not something that private companies can afford to lose.
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