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Turkish Arms Exports Hit $10 Billion as F-35 Impasse Caps NATO Ambitions
Türkiye’s defense and aerospace exports reached about $10 billion in 2025, more than tripling their 2021 level and accounting for roughly 3.7 percent of national exports. Drones, armored vehicles, missiles and naval platforms now reach nearly 40 countries, with NATO customers contributing well over half of the total and strengthening Türkiye’s position as a diversified defense supplier. The expansion has not resolved Ankara’s exclusion from the F-35 program after its purchase of Russia’s S-400 system, while reliance on some Western technologies continues to constrain broader ambitions.