Ankara markets drones, air defense to states looking to reduce reliance on U.S. weapons

Ankara is using NATO’s summit week as a platform to market its drones and air-defense capabilities, linking the alliance’s spending agenda to Turkey’s defense industry. Hosted at the Bestepe Presidential Complex for NATO leaders, and alongside a Defense Industry Forum at ATO Congresium in Sogutozu, the events are positioned as a major showcase for regional buyers. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said the forum would be the largest industrial event in NATO’s history, with allies expected to announce tens of billions of dollars in defense deals. Turkey plans to highlight its Steel Dome missile and drone defense network, Baykar drones previously reported to have built reputations in Libya, Syria and Ukraine, and the KAAN fighter jet with Indonesia lined up as the first foreign customer for 48 aircraft. The article also describes heightened security during the summit and references Gulf concerns over wartime resupply and reliance on U.S. interceptors amid an Iran conflict that began Feb. 28.