Turkey Signs $8 Billion Air Defense Deal with Gulf Countries

At the SAHA 2026 International Defense and Aviation Fair held in Ankara in May, Turkey and Gulf countries signed an $8 billion defense contract. The agreement covers the deployment of 20 Korkut air defense units and aims to meet regional security needs with Turkey's high-quality, low-cost systems. During the spring period, it was observed that high-cost US air defense systems may prove insufficient against Iran's low-cost drone and missile attacks. In this context, Gulf countries and Iraq seek to avoid dependence on a single security provider and are diversifying their defense supply chains. Turkey fills this strategic gap with its flexible approach to technology transfer and co-production. According to SIPRI data, Turkey ranked 11th among global arms exporters in the 2021-2025 period. Baykar's export performance rose from $360 million in 2020 to $2.2 billion in 2025, supported by sales to 37 countries. The Hisar and Siper systems are planned to gain ballistic missile interception capabilities by the 2030s, further expanding Turkey's defense export portfolio. This is not investment advice.