Türkiye’s Roketsan Eyes USD1B in Exports

(MENAFN) Turkish defense manufacturer Roketsan is closing in on $1 billion in annual exports, fueled by a sweeping expansion of its production capacity and a bold pivot toward artificial intelligence-powered weapons platforms, the company's chief executive told Anadolu on the sidelines of Istanbul's premier defense showcase.

CEO Murat Ikinci, speaking at Anadolu's Technology Desk during the SAHA 2026 International Defense and Aerospace Exhibition, said Roketsan is embedding AI directly into its missile systems — enabling munitions to autonomously evaluate battlefield conditions and engage targets in heavily contested environments without human input.

The AI integration push, Ikinci said, extends well beyond munitions. Roketsan is working to introduce autonomous capabilities into future command-and-control systems and streamline factory operations through intelligent automation.

Ikinci said the company's AI ambitions are advancing in lockstep with investments in next-generation core technologies, including GPS-independent navigation, quantum sensors, and hypersonic delivery platforms — among them the Tayfun Blok-4 ballistic missile.

SAHA 2026 served as the launchpad for a wave of new Roketsan systems. The company unveiled its Mini Cruise Missile — described as the "youngest sibling" of its SOM, Atmaca, and Cakir missile family. Built from plastic and sheet metal components to minimize cost, the missile can be deployed from an unmanned aerial vehicle and carries a strike range of 250 kilometers (155 miles).

Roketsan also introduced the Nester system — a modified variant of the combat-tested MAM-L platform engineered to neutralize targets through kinetic impact rather than explosive warheads. Ikinci said the system was developed in direct response to Turkish military requirements for operations demanding zero collateral damage.

The company additionally made its public debut of the Cida anti-tank missile, already in mass production. The system feeds real-time seeker imagery to operators aboard helicopters and armored vehicles, with a maximum engagement range exceeding 55 kilometers (34 miles). Roketsan also adapted its Cirit missile into an anti-drone variant, fitted with a proximity sensor and a redesigned warhead to counter low-altitude kamikaze drone threats.

The flurry of new capabilities has triggered a surge in international interest. Ikinci said delegations from NATO, EU member states, and Turkic nations have approached Roketsan seeking expanded defense cooperation. Domestic and international orders have grown by as much as threefold, forcing the company to shift production facilities to a demanding three-shift operating model around the clock.

To meet surging demand, Roketsan is reinvesting its entire revenue stream into capacity expansion. The company recently inaugurated a $1 billion production facility and launched a separate $2 billion infrastructure investment program. Ikinci said new facilities — including what Roketsan bills as Europe's largest warhead plant and dedicated rocket fuel production lines — are expected to come online within six to 12 months.

The financial trajectory is equally striking. Roketsan projects total revenue will surpass $3 billion by year-end, up sharply from $2 billion in 2025. Ikinci positioned the company as a contender for the title of the world's fastest-growing defense firm, drawing a direct parallel to fellow Turkish defense giant Baykar, the globally recognized drone manufacturer.

The backdrop for these announcements was itself a measure of the Turkish defense industry's rising clout. SAHA 2026 — with Anadolu serving as the event's global communications partner — drew representatives from 120 countries and generated $8 billion in agreements over five days. Ikinci said the broader Turkish defense sector is now on track to surpass its current $10 billion export record.

He said converting research and development projects into export-ready, combat-proven products has become the decisive competitive advantage in today's global arms market — and the cornerstone of Roketsan's strategy for the next five years.

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