Turkey Launches $5 Billion Defense Industry Investment Program

Ender Öztürk

July 7, 2026

In a major development for the nation’s defense sector, Turkey’s Minister of Industry and Technology, Mehmet Fatih Kacır, officially announced the “HIT – Innovative Defense Technologies Call” in Ankara. As part of the broader HIT-30 High-Technology Investment Program, this initiative commits a massive $5 billion support package to bolster the domestic defense industry. By providing extensive financial and strategic backing, the government aims to scale up local technology firms and significantly enhance national production capacities. This bold step aligns with Turkey’s strategic vision to transform homegrown innovation into a global competitive force, ensuring that the country remains at the forefront of international defense technology markets.

Defense Innovation Enters a New Era

Turkey has recently gained global recognition for its remarkable achievements in unmanned aerial vehicles and advanced naval platforms. The introduction of the HIT-30 initiative represents a deliberate effort to translate these successes into standardized, high-volume production capabilities. By mirroring elements of NATO’s innovation scaling strategies, the program ensures that promising technological concepts do not remain in the laboratory but instead evolve into critical industrial assets that strengthen national security.

The initiative effectively bridges the gap between innovative research and large-scale industrial manufacturing.

Investors Gain Access to Comprehensive Support

To reduce the financial burden on participating firms and accelerate research and development, the Ministry has designed a robust framework of incentives. Minister Kacır detailed several key advantages available to qualifying companies. Investors can benefit from tax incentives reaching up to 60 percent and grant support of up to 20 percent. Furthermore, the program provides low-interest financing covering up to 70 percent of the total investment amount.

Beyond direct funding, the government is committed to mitigating operational risks. Firms will receive prioritized access to public testing and verification infrastructure, alongside support for workforce development and land allocation. Perhaps most significantly, the inclusion of public procurement guarantees ensures that local manufacturers have a secure market for the advanced systems they develop, creating a stable environment for long-term growth.

Innovation Becomes a Strategic National Asset

Minister Kacır emphasized that innovation alone is insufficient for establishing international dominance; it must be coupled with rapid industrialization. Turkey is currently preparing its infrastructure to serve as a central production hub, capable of developing and deploying the most advanced defense systems available today. By removing structural barriers, this program empowers dynamic tech startups to integrate into the global defense ecosystem more effectively.

This policy shift positions Turkish domestic firms as essential players in the global defense supply chain.

Entrepreneurs and technology companies interested in shaping the future of defense systems can find detailed application requirements and program guidelines at hit30.sanayi.gov.tr. As Turkey embarks on this ambitious journey to elevate its industrial footprint, the feedback from industry experts and stakeholders remains a vital component of the process.

What are your thoughts on how this $5 billion investment will influence the future of Turkey’s defense exports? Share your perspective in the comments section below.