The global leadership of the Turkish defence industry in unmanned systems has started to be accepted as a reference by NATO member European countries. Visiting Baykar's Özdemir Bayraktar National Technology Centre, Portuguese Defence Minister Nuno Melo gave a clear message by describing Turkish UAV technology as world-class, “We in Portugal will follow this path on our own scale.”
Turkey's game-changing technologies continue to resonate in Europe. Portuguese Defence Minister Nuno Melo and his delegation visited Baykar, the world's largest UAV exporter. During the visit, Melo received information from Baykar Chairman Selçuk Bayraktar and General Manager Haluk Bayraktar, and Melo's statements showed that ideological barriers in Turkey-Europe defence relations are being broken down by technology.
Praise for Baykar: “What we have seen is the best in the world”
In his evaluation after the visit, Minister Melo did not hide his admiration for the level Baykar has reached in autonomous systems supported by artificial intelligence. In particular, Melo, who examined Turkey's first unmanned combat aircraft Bayraktar KIZILELMA and other platforms, used the following striking statements:
“What we see here are world-class, the most advanced technologies produced in the world today. As Portugal, we will follow this path and this model on our own scale.”
This statement was the highest level expression of the fact that European countries, which had been importers in the defence industry for many years or had only been involved in certain consortiums, were now taking Turkey's National Technology Movement model as an example for themselves.
NATO Allies Above Ideology
One of the most strategic messages of the visit was given in the political framework. Minister Melo emphasised that relations with Turkey should be based on NATO unity, technology and mutual production rather than ideological boundaries.
Melo also referred to the implicit restrictions imposed by some European countries against Turkey, “We cannot be in NATO and think of our allies as ‘something else’. Turkey is a very important NATO member” and took a stance that paved the way for cooperation in the defence industry.
New Topic on the Table: KC-390 Transport Aircraft?
Nuno Melo stated that the relations are not a one-way street based only on buying UAVs from Turkey, and that Portugal also wants to sell products to Turkey. Pointing to the KC-390 military transport aircraft project, in which Portugal has a share in the production and which is carried out jointly with the Brazilian Embraer company, Melo said:
“Turkey can also be a customer of products produced in Portugal. We are producers and we want to sell. If we are involved in the production of the KC-390, we want to market it and Turkey is a possibility. Why not?’
While the modernisation of the Turkish Air Force's transport fleet (aircraft to replace the C-130 and C-160s) is on the agenda, the Portuguese Minister's statement suggests that a transport aircraft in exchange for UAVs or a similar exchange/collaboration model may be on the table between the two countries.
