In Turkey's 2027 budget proposal, a total of 3 trillion 454 billion lira resources were allocated for defense and security units.
The resource planned to be allocated for defense and security expenditures in Turkey's 2027 budget proposal has reached 3 trillion 454 billion lira. In his presentation at the Grand National Assembly of Turkey Planning and Budget Commission on October 21, 2026, Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz announced that reducing foreign dependency in the defense industry and developing domestic production capacity are among the priorities.
The announced amount indicates a broad budget framework that includes military needs and internal security expenditures, as well as defense industry projects. Yılmaz stated that when the resources allocated to the Defense Industry Support Fund are included, an appropriation of 3.454 trillion liras is envisaged for defense and security units and this amount corresponds to 12.7 percent of the central government budget.
229 Percent Increase in Weapons and Ammunition Purchase Allowances
One of the prominent topics in the 2027 budget proposal was the increase in the appropriations allocated for the purchase of weapons, ammunition, weapon systems and other defense tools within the Ministry of National Defense.
It is planned to increase the appropriations for these items by 229 percent. The increase is important in terms of supplying the systems needed by the Turkish Armed Forces and improving their defense capacity.
The resources allocated to the purchase of weapons and ammunition; It can be used in areas such as the supply of new platforms, modernization of existing systems and the supply of equipment for different military needs. However, the announced 229 percent increase does not mean that all defense expenditures increased at the same rate. The rate is related to the purchase appropriations specified in the budget of the Ministry of National Defense.
Once the budget proposal is discussed in the legislative process and the appropriations are distributed to the relevant programs, the scope of the expenditure items will be revealed in more detail.
How are the resources allocated for defense and internal security distributed?
In the statement of Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz, the total resources were discussed under the headings of defense and internal security.
It is envisaged that approximately 2 trillion 206 billion lira will be allocated for defense expenditures and approximately 1 trillion 248 billion lira for internal security. The total of these two items reaches 3 trillion 454 billion liras.
While the defense budget covers expenses related to the needs of the Turkish Armed Forces and the supply of defense systems, the internal security appropriation includes resources for the activities of different security units.
This distinction shows that the total budget does not consist only of weapons purchases or appropriations to be transferred to defense industry companies. The amount of 3.454 trillion lira represents the total resource envisaged for the entire defense and internal security areas.
Steel Dome and Layered Air Defense Are Among the Priority Areas
One of the projects that Cevdet Yılmaz highlighted in his budget presentation was Turkey's integrated air defense architecture, Steel Dome.
Steel Dome aims to ensure that air defense systems in different ranges and mission classes operate under a common network with sensors and command-control infrastructures. This architecture aims to detect air threats, create a common air picture, and transfer relevant information to operation centers in real time.
Within the scope of Steel Dome, it is aimed for different air defense elements to work in an integrated manner and to benefit from artificial intelligence-supported systems. Thus, the evaluation of threats detected in the airspace and the coordination of appropriate defense elements can be supported.
Radars, electronic warfare systems, command-control infrastructures and preventive systems undertake different tasks in Turkey's air defense architecture. These elements working together form the basis of layered air defense.
However, an independent total allocation for the Steel Dome was not announced in the 2027 budget. Therefore, it is not possible to give an exact figure regarding the share of the project in the budget.
Electronic Warfare and Unmanned Systems Stand Out
Electronic warfare and unmanned systems also hold an important place in Turkey's defense industry strategy. Electronic warfare technologies are used in tasks such as detecting radar and communication systems, analyzing electromagnetic signals and suppressing the electronic capabilities of the opposing party when necessary.
Unmanned aerial vehicles and armed unmanned aerial vehicles are in the inventory of the Turkish Armed Forces for reconnaissance, surveillance and different operational missions.
Yılmaz stated that Turkey is among the three leading countries in the world in unmanned aerial vehicle and armed unmanned aerial vehicle technologies. He also drew attention to Turkey's capabilities in the field of electronic warfare and its position among countries that can produce their own warships.
The basic approach emphasized in the budget proposal is to develop systems that can meet different operational needs with domestic resources and to make the production capacity sustainable. However, these statements do not mean that a separate budget amount has been determined for each technology area.
Domestic Defense Industry and Export Targets
Turkey's defense budget is evaluated with the aim of improving the production capacity of the domestic defense industry. Land vehicles, naval platforms, ammunition, unmanned systems and electronic warfare technologies are among the prominent areas of Turkey's production activities for both its military needs and international markets.
Cevdet Yılmaz stated that Turkey's defense industry products are exported to more than 185 countries. This statement points to the breadth of the sector's activities in international markets.
Sustainable growth in defense exports depends not only on the development of new products; It also depends on mass production capacity, delivery schedules, after-sales support and the ability to meet the needs of international customers.
The importance given to domestic production and technology development within the scope of the 2027 budget coincides with the goal of strengthening the supply chain and production infrastructure of the defense industry. However, the entire announced 3,454 trillion lira should not be considered as a resource to be transferred to defense industry companies or export-oriented projects.
Share of Defense Budget in Central Government
The 3.454 trillion lira that is expected to be allocated to the fields of defense and security for 2027 corresponds to 12.7 percent of the central government budget.
This ratio shows the size of defense and security activities in public expenditures. However, the share in the budget and the production volume of the defense industry or the income of companies are different indicators. Therefore, it cannot be concluded that the increase in budget appropriation will be directly reflected in the sector turnover or exports at the same rate.
