STM Demonstrates Unmanned Teaming to Counter Drifting Mines
STM has demonstrated the teaming of the TOGAN scout UAV and KARGU kamikaze UAV with ASELSAN-SEFİNE MARLIN USV to neutralise drifting mines at a NATO event.
NATO News
Navy / Maritime
Unmanned Systems
Air
E/W
Defence Politics
Sensors
Turkish Air Force AWACS aircraft operates over Lithuania
Turkiye’s Ministry of National Defence confirmed that a Turkish Air Force E-7T Airborne Early Warning and Control aircraft operated over Lithuanian airspace.
Navy / Maritime
Simulator / AI / Drill/ Software
NATO’s NEST 25-3 Showcases Türkiye’s Anadolu Task Group
NATO’s third NEST 2025 exercise, held near Brindisi, highlighted Türkiye’s Anadolu Task Group as Rear Admiral Mevlüd Savaş Bilican outlined NATO’s resilience.
Navy / Maritime
Simulator / AI / Drill/ Software
NATO Launches Third Neptune Strike Drill in European Waters
22–26 September, NATO’s Neptune Strike 25-3 gathers 10,000 troops from 13 allies to show maritime strike strength and secure vital seas from Med to Baltic.
Defence Politics
NATO’s Rutte Backs Türkiye’s SAFE bid at EU envoy meeting
NATO chief Mark Rutte urges EU to admit Türkiye into the €150 billion SAFE defence programme, citing NATO benefits despite strict non-member funding limits.
Defence Politics
Türkiye to host 2026 NATO Summit in Ankara,7–8 July
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte announced that leaders will meet on 7–8 July 2026, underlining Turkiye’s role on NATO’s southern and Black Sea lines.
Air
Bilateral Relations
Defence Politics
Turkiye Prioritises Missile and Air Defence Systems
Iran’s hypersonic missiles breaching Israel’s air shield after retaliating for an Israeli strike has made layered defence Türkiye’s new strategic priority.
Air
Regional / Strategy
Defence Politics
Erdoğan Agrees NATO Defence Spending to Reach 5% Of GDP
Erdoğan tells the NATO summit that Türkiye would raise its defence expenditure in 10 years, and the money will come exclusively from the national budget.
Air
Logistics
NATO Expands Airbus A330 MRTT Fleet to 12 with new Order
NATO Support and Procurement Agency ordered two more Airbus A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) planes. The Multinational MRTT Fleet now has 12 tankers.
Navy / Maritime
Modernisation
NSPA to Upgrade Portuguese Navy’s MEKO 200PN Frigates
The Portuguese Navy demands NATO’s NSPA to extend the service life of its multi-purpose frigates of the Vasco da Gama (MEKO 200PN) class through tenders.
Defence Politics
Global Arms Race Accelerates Turkiye Climbs Defence Rankings
Reaching $2.72 trillion in 2024, global defence expenditure pushed Türkiye up to 17th place, surpassing Spain in an escalating worldwide weapons race.
Simulator / AI / Drill/ Software
Türkiye to Lead NATO Amphibious Task Force (ATF) in 2025
Türkiye’s Amphibious Task Group completed NATO’s readiness inspection and will assume its NATO leading mission from Spain between July 2025 and June 2026.
Simulator / AI / Drill/ Software
Ynet: Turkiye Blocks Israel From Joining NATO Exercise
According to Ynet, Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs sources claimed that Turkiye vetoed Israel and blocked its participation in an annual NATO exercise.
Ammunition
Logistics
Turkiye Joins NATO’s Ammunition Warehousing Initiative
Turkiye and Portugal have joined the Multi-National Ammunition Rehousing Initiative (MAWI) to improve ammunition stockpiling management.
