How Strong Is Türkiye’s Military in 2026? Budget, Troops, Drones and Defense Industry

Türkiye has the ninth most powerful military in the world in 2026, according to the Global Firepower index, and the second-largest army in NATO by personnel after the United States. What sets it apart is not only size but its defense industry, which has turned the country from a major arms importer into one of the fastest-growing exporters on the planet.

Budget and manpower

SIPRI estimates Türkiye spent $30.0 billion on its military in 2025, up 7.2% in real terms. The Turkish Armed Forces have roughly 355,000 active personnel, backed by large reserves and the Gendarmerie. Decades of operations against the PKK, deployments in Syria, Iraq and Libya, and a permanent presence in northern Cyprus have given the force broad operational experience.

Air Force: F-16s today, KAAN tomorrow

The backbone of the Turkish Air Force is its large F-16 fleet. Removal from the F-35 program in 2019, after Ankara bought Russia’s S-400, forced a rethink. In 2025 Türkiye agreed to buy Eurofighter Typhoons to bridge the gap, while betting its long-term future on the KAAN, a domestically developed fifth-generation fighter that first flew in February 2024. Indonesia has already signed up for 48 KAANs, a rare export deal for a fighter still in development.

Drone superpower

Türkiye is best known abroad for its drones. Baykar’s Bayraktar TB2 became a global name after combat use in Libya, Nagorno-Karabakh and Ukraine, and the company has followed it with the heavier Akıncı, the carrier-capable TB3 and the jet-powered Kızılelma unmanned fighter. TUSAŞ adds the Anka family. Few countries field and export armed drones on this scale.

Navy: a “drone carrier” and homegrown warships

The Turkish Navy operates TCG Anadolu, an amphibious assault ship adapted to carry TB3 drones, alongside MILGEM corvettes and İstif-class frigates built in Turkish yards and Reis-class submarines based on Germany’s Type 214. The TF-2000 air defense destroyer is in development.

Land forces and air defense

The Army fields Leopard 2, M60 and upgraded tanks and is bringing the domestic Altay main battle tank into service. In air defense, Ankara is building an integrated, layered network known as Steel Dome, combining the Hisar, Siper and Korkut systems with new radars, alongside the Russian-made S-400.

Defense industry: exports above $10 billion

Turkish defense and aerospace exports passed $10 billion for the first time in 2025, according to official data, up sharply from the year before. Companies such as Aselsan, Baykar, TUSAŞ, Roketsan and MKE now appear among the world’s largest defense firms, and more than 80% of the military’s needs are said to be met domestically.

Verdict

Türkiye combines a large, battle-tested military with an industry that can design and build most of what it needs, from drones and missiles to warships and, soon, a stealth fighter. Its main gaps are in modern fighter jets and high-end air defense, which the KAAN and Steel Dome programs are meant to close over the next decade.

Featured image: Oystercard / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons