Turkey’s Post-2023 National Defense Deliveries: What Actually Entered Service
Since 2023, Turkey’s defense industry has moved a wide range of national platforms from prototype and testing into serial production and operational service. This analysis relies only on deliveries and service-entry dates confirmed by official sources: the Presidency of Defence Industries (SSB), manufacturer statements, and verified reporting from Anadolu Agency and specialist defense outlets.
Between 2023 and 2025, several national systems across air, land, sea and missile/air-defense domains were formally handed over to operational users. The frigate TCG Istanbul, the first serial ALTAY tanks, the GOKBEY helicopter and Roketsan’s air-defense and cruise missile family stand out as concrete outputs of this period.
A key distinction runs through the record: a platform’s maiden flight or launch is not the same as its entry into service. This piece separates confirmed deliveries from development milestones and flags targets that remain projections rather than completed handovers.
Overview
Key delivery/service-entry events
| System | Domain | Status/Date | User |
|---|---|---|---|
| TCG Istanbul (F-515) | Navy | Entered service, 19 Jan 2024 | Turkish Navy |
| GOKBEY (T625) | Air (helicopter) | First delivery, 29 Oct 2024 | Gendarmerie Command |
| ALTAY (serial, T1) | Land | Entered service, 28 Oct 2025 | Land Forces |
| SIPER Block 1 | Air defense | In service (serial deliveries) | Air Force |
These figures matter for context: the same platforms that enter domestic service also generate export revenue. In 2024 Turkish UAVs were reported flying with more than 50 countries at around 770 platforms, while armored vehicles were delivered to over 40 countries.
Air, Land and Sea
Air platforms
GOKBEY is the one newly delivered indigenous helicopter of this period, handed to the Gendarmerie General Command on 29 October 2024. KAAN (first flight 21 Feb 2024), HURJET (first flight 25 Apr 2023) and ANKA-3 (first flight 28 Dec 2023) remain in flight-test and pre-series stages, with service entry planned for 2027-2028 according to official statements — these are not yet delivered systems.
Land systems
ALTAY’s first two tanks were handed to the Land Forces in 2024 per the SSB 2024 annual report; serial production formally began 5 September 2025 and the first serial ALTAY-T1 entered service 28 October 2025. The initial batch uses a foreign-sourced powerpack pending transition to the domestic BATU engine.
Naval and missile systems
TCG Istanbul, the first ship of the Istif-class and the fifth MILGEM-project vessel, entered Turkish Navy service on 19 January 2024 with a reported localization rate of about 80%. Roketsan delivered several missile and air-defense systems into service during this period, including SIPER Block 1, HISAR-A/HISAR-O, ATMACA anti-ship missiles and the TAYFUN ballistic missile.
FAQ
What was the first national frigate delivered after 2023?
TCG Istanbul (F-515), the first Istif-class ship and fifth MILGEM-project vessel, entered Turkish Navy service on 19 January 2024, with a reported localization rate of about 80%.
When did the ALTAY tank enter service?
The first two ALTAY tanks were handed to the army in 2024. Serial production began 5 September 2025, and the first serial ALTAY-T1 formally entered service on 28 October 2025.
Has the KAAN fighter been delivered?
No. KAAN made its first flight on 21 February 2024; service entry is planned for 2028. Developments in 2023-2025 are test and development milestones, not deliveries.
Which Roketsan systems entered service in this period?
Official statements list SIPER Block 1, HISAR-A, HISAR-O, SUNGUR, ATMACA, KARA ATMACA, CAKIR, SOM and TAYFUN among delivered systems.
How much did Turkey export in defense and aerospace in 2024?
According to SSB, defense and aerospace exports reached approximately $7.15 billion in 2024, about 29% higher than the previous year.
Based on official sources, the period since 2023 marks a clear shift from development toward serial production and service entry for Turkey’s defense industry. TCG Istanbul at sea, the serial ALTAY on land, GOKBEY in the air, and the SIPER/HISAR/ATMACA/TAYFUN missile family are the concrete, verified deliveries of this period.
By contrast, KAAN, HURJET, ANKA-3 and KIZILELMA remain largely in flight-test and pre-series stages, with large-scale deliveries planned for 2026 and beyond. Export figures above $7 billion and localization above 80% show that the same production capacity also feeds international sales, not only domestic inventories.
Sources
- https://www.ssb.gov.tr
- https://www.aa.com.tr
- https://baykartech.com
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Istanbul-class_frigate
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Altay_(tank)
