ASELSAN’s Order Backlog Hits $23.2 Billion in H1 2026

Türkiye’s largest defense electronics firm, ASELSAN, reported TRY 88.5 billion in first-half 2026 revenue, up 25% in real terms. The company’s order backlog climbed to $23.2 billion, while R&D spending rose 41% and capacity investment surged 195%.

Key Points

• ASELSAN’s H1 2026 revenue reached TRY 88.5 billion, up 25% in real terms.
• Order backlog reached $23.2 billion.
• R&D spending rose 41% year-on-year.
• Capacity investment jumped a striking 195%.
• The figures show the company growing both domestic demand and export orders simultaneously.

Background

ASELSAN operates across a wide range of domains — radar, electronic warfare, command-and-control, guidance systems, and communications — forming a backbone of Türkiye’s defense industrial ecosystem. Its backlog has grown alongside both the Turkish Armed Forces’ modernization programs and rising export demand, straining production capacity in the process. The 195% jump in capacity investment shows ASELSAN isn’t just meeting current orders but investing ahead of anticipated future demand. A 41% rise in R&D spending points to a growing funding base for next-generation systems such as TOLUN-P.

What It Means for Türkiye

ASELSAN’s financial scale is a key indicator of Türkiye’s progress toward its defense export targets. A $23.2 billion order backlog is a guarantee of steady production and employment volume for years to come. The sharp rise in capacity investment also implies indirectly growing demand for domestic subcontractors across the supply chain. On the macroeconomic side, growing defense export revenue makes a positive contribution to the current account balance.

FAQ

What does an order backlog mean? It represents the total value of contracted but not-yet-delivered orders — an indicator of future revenue.

What is the R&D spending increase funding? Development of next-generation radar, guidance, and electronic warfare systems.

Where is capacity investment going? Primarily into production facilities, test infrastructure, and automation systems.

Sources

• Quwa Defence News, “Aselsan’s Backlog Hits $23.2B as Revenue Grows 25% in Real Terms,” August 2026.