The 2025 export champion of the Turkish defense industry has been determined, and a historic handover has taken place at the top. ARCA Defense, surpassing Baykar, the UAV giant that had topped the list for years, has won the title of Defense and Aerospace Sector Export Champion. ARCA, which has become a critical link in the global supply chain with the heavy ammunition it produces in its massive facilities in Sungurlu, Çorum, has made its mark on the sector with this double championship.
Türkiye's long-standing focus on defense industry exports, primarily consisting of aircraft/UAVs, gave way to heavy munitions in 2025 due to the influence of the global economic climate. Baykar, the undisputed leader in 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024, relinquished its leading position in 2025 to ARCA Defense, a company with a quiet but steadily growing production capacity.
ARCA, which ranked first in the list announced by the Presidency of the Republic of Turkey's Defence Industries Directorate (SSB), not only topped a category but also the overall ranking, proving the level of product diversity reached by the Turkish defense industry.
The awards were presented by Minister Bolat and Mayor Görgün.
ARCA Defense's success was celebrated at a ceremony where the company received two major awards.
- Defense and Aerospace Sector Export Champion (Overall)
- Export Champion in Weapons Systems and Ammunition Category
The awards were presented by the Minister of Trade, Prof. Dr. Ömer Bolat, and the President of the Presidency of Defence Industries, Prof. Dr. Haluk Görgün. General Manager İlknur Dutak Pamir, who accepted the award on behalf of the ARCA family, summarized the secret to their success with these words:
“Having started our production activities with domestic and national resources, we have not only met the needs of the defense industry, but we have also surpassed borders. This pride belongs to all of us!”
Why ARCA? The Golden Age of Ammunition
The success of this young company, founded in 2020, in reaching the top in just 5 years, surpassing giants like Baykar and TUSAŞ, is based on a strategic production vision.
The depletion of conventional ammunition stockpiles in global conflict zones (Ukraine, Russia, etc.) has driven the world to seek artillery and mortar ammunition. ARCA, with its integrated facilities built on 960 acres in Sungurlu, Çorum, and operated with the vision that each factory is a fortress, has been the company that has responded most quickly to this demand.
- Production Capacity: 155mm, 152mm and 122mm artillery ammunition, as well as 120mm mortar ammunition, are currently among the most needed items by armies around the world.
- Global Standard: As emphasized in the company statement, ARCA not only manufactured products but also offered a level of quality that rivaled global giants, guided by its vision of "setting global standards in strategic areas.".
The New Top 10 Exporters and the Sector's Message
The 2025 ranking shows that the Turkish defense industry is not dependent on a single player or a single product.
- ARCA Defense Industry (Ammunition Leader)
- BAYKAR (UAV/UAS Leader)
- TUSAŞ (Aviation Platforms)
- TEI (Engine Technologies)
- ROKETSAN (Missile Systems)
- ASELSAN (Electronics and Communications)
- ASPHALT (Military Factories and Shipyards)
- OTOKAR (Land Vehicles)
- SSTEK (Defense Industry Technologies)
- ALP AVIATION (Aviation Structures and Parts)
This table illustrates that Türkiye has become a global supermarket in the air (Baykar, TUSAŞ), on the ground (Otokar, FNSS), and in firepower (ARCA, Roketsan). ARCA's championship confirmed the fact that while selling platforms is important, selling the ammunition that those platforms will fire is what makes sustainability possible by 2025.
