Burak Ege Bekdil

Burak Ege Bekdil was the Turkey correspondent for Defense News.


  • Report Exposes Turk Defense Industry’s Weaknesses
    Report Exposes Turk Defense Industry’s Weaknesses

    A recent report released by Turkey’s procurement authorities has exposed fundamental weaknesses of the country’s local industry.

  • Turkish Firm To Produce Tank Engine
    Turkish Firm To Produce Tank Engine

    Turkish engine maker TUMOSAN has signed a contract with Turkey’s government to design an engine for the Altay tank.

  • 9 Firms May Bid on Turkish Jammer Program
    9 Firms May Bid on Turkish Jammer Program

    Nine potential bidders have signaled their interest in bidding on a Turkish program to acquire aircraft stand-off jammer capabilities, the country’s procurement agency said.

  • Two A400M Deliveries for Turkey Face Delays
    Two A400M Deliveries for Turkey Face Delays

    The deliveries of two A400M military transport aircraft for Turkey, scheduled for this year, are facing delays, procurement officials here said.

  • Turks Agree To Speed up Fighter Program
    Turks Agree To Speed up Fighter Program

    Turkey’s government and military leaders have agreed to speed up the country’s crawling program for the design, development and production of an indigenous fighter jet.

  • Turkey Begins Training Groups to Fight ISIS
    Turkey Begins Training Groups to Fight ISIS

    Turkish Special Forces have started training local Iraqi and Syrian groups to fight the jihadist Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), officials here said.

  • Aselsan Inaugurates $157M Radar, EW Plant
    Aselsan Inaugurates $157M Radar, EW Plant

    Turkish defense electronics specialist Aselsan, the country’s biggest defense company, on Monday inaugurated a $157 million plant in Golbasi near Ankara.

  • Turkey Releases RFI for Fighter Program
    Turkey Releases RFI for Fighter Program

    The Turkish government finally released a Request for Information (RFI) for its ambitious program for the design, development and production of an indigenous fighter jet.

  • Training Cited in Turkish Aircraft Losses
    Training Cited in Turkish Aircraft Losses

    In December 2013, Turkish officials warned that because military pilots were leaving service at such an alarming rate, much greater attention must be paid to the training regime. Slightly over a year later, Turkey mourns the loss of six pilots in a span of six days.

  • Turkey Seeks Bigger Military Role in Gulf Region
    Turkey Seeks Bigger Military Role in Gulf Region

    Despite mounting problems and multiple cross-border threats in its south and southeast, Turkey is seeking a bigger military role in the Gulf region, preparing to set foot first in Qatar.

  • Report Exposes Turk Defense Industry’s Weaknesses
    Report Exposes Turk Defense Industry’s Weaknesses

    A recent report released by Turkey’s procurement authorities has exposed fundamental weaknesses of the country’s local industry.

  • Turkish Firm To Produce Tank Engine
    Turkish Firm To Produce Tank Engine

    Turkish engine maker TUMOSAN has signed a contract with Turkey’s government to design an engine for the Altay tank.

  • 9 Firms May Bid on Turkish Jammer Program
    9 Firms May Bid on Turkish Jammer Program

    Nine potential bidders have signaled their interest in bidding on a Turkish program to acquire aircraft stand-off jammer capabilities, the country’s procurement agency said.

  • Two A400M Deliveries for Turkey Face Delays
    Two A400M Deliveries for Turkey Face Delays

    The deliveries of two A400M military transport aircraft for Turkey, scheduled for this year, are facing delays, procurement officials here said.

  • Turks Agree To Speed up Fighter Program
    Turks Agree To Speed up Fighter Program

    Turkey’s government and military leaders have agreed to speed up the country’s crawling program for the design, development and production of an indigenous fighter jet.

  • Turkey Begins Training Groups to Fight ISIS
    Turkey Begins Training Groups to Fight ISIS

    Turkish Special Forces have started training local Iraqi and Syrian groups to fight the jihadist Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), officials here said.

  • Aselsan Inaugurates $157M Radar, EW Plant
    Aselsan Inaugurates $157M Radar, EW Plant

    Turkish defense electronics specialist Aselsan, the country’s biggest defense company, on Monday inaugurated a $157 million plant in Golbasi near Ankara.

  • Turkey Releases RFI for Fighter Program
    Turkey Releases RFI for Fighter Program

    The Turkish government finally released a Request for Information (RFI) for its ambitious program for the design, development and production of an indigenous fighter jet.

  • Training Cited in Turkish Aircraft Losses
    Training Cited in Turkish Aircraft Losses

    In December 2013, Turkish officials warned that because military pilots were leaving service at such an alarming rate, much greater attention must be paid to the training regime. Slightly over a year later, Turkey mourns the loss of six pilots in a span of six days.

  • Turkey Seeks Bigger Military Role in Gulf Region
    Turkey Seeks Bigger Military Role in Gulf Region

    Despite mounting problems and multiple cross-border threats in its south and southeast, Turkey is seeking a bigger military role in the Gulf region, preparing to set foot first in Qatar.

  • Report Exposes Turk Defense Industry’s Weaknesses
    Report Exposes Turk Defense Industry’s Weaknesses

    A recent report released by Turkey’s procurement authorities has exposed fundamental weaknesses of the country’s local industry.

  • Turkish Firm To Produce Tank Engine
    Turkish Firm To Produce Tank Engine

    Turkish engine maker TUMOSAN has signed a contract with Turkey’s government to design an engine for the Altay tank.

  • 9 Firms May Bid on Turkish Jammer Program
    9 Firms May Bid on Turkish Jammer Program

    Nine potential bidders have signaled their interest in bidding on a Turkish program to acquire aircraft stand-off jammer capabilities, the country’s procurement agency said.

  • Two A400M Deliveries for Turkey Face Delays
    Two A400M Deliveries for Turkey Face Delays

    The deliveries of two A400M military transport aircraft for Turkey, scheduled for this year, are facing delays, procurement officials here said.

  • Turks Agree To Speed up Fighter Program
    Turks Agree To Speed up Fighter Program

    Turkey’s government and military leaders have agreed to speed up the country’s crawling program for the design, development and production of an indigenous fighter jet.

  • Turkey Begins Training Groups to Fight ISIS
    Turkey Begins Training Groups to Fight ISIS

    Turkish Special Forces have started training local Iraqi and Syrian groups to fight the jihadist Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), officials here said.

  • Aselsan Inaugurates $157M Radar, EW Plant
    Aselsan Inaugurates $157M Radar, EW Plant

    Turkish defense electronics specialist Aselsan, the country’s biggest defense company, on Monday inaugurated a $157 million plant in Golbasi near Ankara.

  • Turkey Releases RFI for Fighter Program
    Turkey Releases RFI for Fighter Program

    The Turkish government finally released a Request for Information (RFI) for its ambitious program for the design, development and production of an indigenous fighter jet.

  • Training Cited in Turkish Aircraft Losses
    Training Cited in Turkish Aircraft Losses

    In December 2013, Turkish officials warned that because military pilots were leaving service at such an alarming rate, much greater attention must be paid to the training regime. Slightly over a year later, Turkey mourns the loss of six pilots in a span of six days.

  • Turkey Seeks Bigger Military Role in Gulf Region
    Turkey Seeks Bigger Military Role in Gulf Region

    Despite mounting problems and multiple cross-border threats in its south and southeast, Turkey is seeking a bigger military role in the Gulf region, preparing to set foot first in Qatar.