Turkey has announced that defense industry cooperation with Japan could expand, potentially combining Japanese technology with Turkish manufacturing capacity and operational experience, Anadolu news agency reported.
Turkish Defense Minister Yasar Guler noted that such collaboration could reach what he described as a “strategic” level.
According to Guler, Japan is evaluating Turkish unmanned aerial systems, including the Anka, produced by Turkish Aerospace Industries and designed for long-endurance flight and continuous surveillance.
Other systems mentioned include Baykar’s Bayraktar TB2 and Bayraktar TB3 drones, which Tokyo may examine as part of its broader defense capability planning.
Guler said that following a visit of Japanese Defense Minister Nakatani Gen to Ankara, the two nations have held additional discussions on maritime security, unmanned systems, training, and air defense technologies.
He added that a Turkish delegation is scheduled to travel to Tokyo in March to continue talks on defense industry cooperation and a potential framework agreement.
Exports Surge
As Tokyo increases its focus on unmanned systems, Ankara is presenting itself as a potential partner, building on last year’s defense consultations.
The outreach comes as Turkey expands its export portfolio across drones and other defense systems.
Ankara’s defense and aviation exports reached $10 billion in 2025, up 48 percent from $7.1 billion in 2024.
Exports in December alone exceeded $2.5 billion, contributing to a total of $9.8 billion in goods and $184 million in services, equivalent to 3.7 percent of Turkey’s total exports for the year.
About $5.6 billion of exports went to European and NATO members, while additional sales were reported to Asia-Pacific, Middle Eastern, and African markets.
