The Turkish defense industry has taken a giant step towards full independence not only in platform production but also in the raw materials of those platforms. FNSS and Nurol Makina, the champions of our armored vehicle exports, shook hands with Miilux OY, Türkiye's only indigenous armor steel producer, to meet their steel needs. With the "Technical Partnership Protocol" signed at the World Defense Show (WDS) 2026 in Saudi Arabia, Turkish armored vehicles will now be protected by Turkish armor steel, not imported materials.
The most critical component of an armored vehicle is its steel, which makes it resistant to bullets and explosions. This strategic product, which was procured from abroad for many years and occasionally subjected to covert embargoes, was nationalized under Miilux OY within the OYAK Group. With the signatures signed in Riyadh, this national achievement met with the vehicles on the mass production line, transforming into a sustainable ecosystem.
A Signature of Steel in Riyadh
The World Defense Show 2026 Fair was the scene not only for sales but also for strategic supply agreements for Turkish companies. At the ceremony held at the FNSS stand, senior executives of Miilux OY, FNSS, and Nurol Makina signed a protocol ending foreign dependency specifically in armor steel within the defense industry.
Within the scope of the agreement, all armor steel needed in projects to be produced by FNSS and Nurol Makina for both the Turkish Armed Forces and export markets will be supplied by Miilux OY. This move will ensure that vehicles proven globally are now indigenous and national with their raw materials as well.
OYAK Vision and the Role of Miilux OY
Having joined the OYAK Group with the goal of ending Türkiye's foreign dependency in the field of armor steel, Miilux OY produces high-hardness armor steel at its facilities in Manisa and Ereğli.
Speaking at the protocol ceremony, Miilux OY General Manager Yavuz Yeldan summarized the vision of the cooperation with these words:
"This technical partnership is an important part of our long-term growth vision in the defense industry. We aim to contribute not only to existing projects but also to next-generation defense industry projects with our high-quality standards and technical competence."
New Investments Coming to Production Lines
The agreement will bring not only the use of existing capacity but also growth. According to the protocol details, taking into account the increasing export orders of FNSS and Nurol Makina and domestic projects, Miilux OY will make new investments in its production lines to meet the demand completely. This means an increase in Türkiye's qualified steel production capacity.
Fully Independent Ecosystem in Global Competition
In the defense industry, raw material supply is as strategic as the final product. The Russia-Ukraine war and global supply crises have once again reminded us of the importance of basic inputs like steel.
Thanks to this cooperation, Türkiye is rising to the position of one of the rare countries that manages the entire process internally, from armor steel production (Miilux OY) to processing this steel into armored vehicles (FNSS, Nurol Makina). This fully independent ecosystem will provide supply guarantees in international tenders, allowing Turkish firms to get ahead of their competitors.
