NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has highlighted the importance of Türkiye’s defense industry and praised ASELSAN, Türkiye’s leading defense electronics company, ahead of the NATO Leaders’ Summit to be held in Ankara in July.
Addressing the evolving security environment and the growing threats and challenges facing the Alliance, Secretary General Rutte emphasized the critical role of a strong and innovative defense industry in strengthening NATO’s capabilities. In this context, he underlined ASELSAN’s achievements and its contribution to Türkiye’s defense industrial transformation.
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During his remarks, Rutte referred to his recent visit to ASELSAN’s facilities in Ankara, stating: “This spring, I spoke with talented young engineers at ASELSAN, Türkiye’s largest defense electronics company. They are driving Türkiye’s defense industrial revolution, which will benefit every member of our Alliance.” Video Link
ASELSAN, Türkiye’s leading defense company and Europe’s fifth most valuable defense firm, hosted NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte at its Gölbaşı Technology Base in Ankara in April 2026. During the visit, ASELSAN presented its comprehensive portfolio of advanced, multi-domain defense solutions.
The visit showcased ASELSAN’s capabilities across a wide range of critical areas, including the Steel Dome multi-layered air defense architecture, drone defense solutions, land systems, naval technologies, electronic warfare solutions, and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) payloads. The company’s integrated, system-level approach to addressing the evolving requirements of modern warfare was highlighted throughout the program.
As part of the visit, Secretary General Rutte also met with ASELSAN’s young engineers, emphasizing the company’s strong focus on innovation, technological development, and human capital.
The program further highlighted ASELSAN’s advanced serial production capabilities. The NATO delegation toured state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities and final assembly lines, where key components of the Steel Dome architecture and flagship systems across ASELSAN’s core technology areas were showcased.
The visit demonstrated ASELSAN’s ability to deliver interoperable, scalable, and mission-ready defense solutions supported by high-tech manufacturing capabilities and engineering excellence.
