Burak Ege Bekdil

Burak Ege Bekdil was the Turkey correspondent for Defense News.


  • Peace With Kurds May Alter Turkey’s Plans
    Peace With Kurds May Alter Turkey’s Plans

    A historic plan for peace with the Kurds may in the longer term reshuffle Turkey’s procurement plans, officials and analysts say.

  • Turkey Mulls Military Support To Fight ISIL
    Turkey Mulls Military Support To Fight ISIL

    Turkey’s government and military leaders are weighing options for a possible Turkish contribution to a planned military offensive against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), officials here said.

  • Turkish Drone Passes Flight Test with Payload
    Turkish Drone Passes Flight Test with Payload

    A locally-developed Turkish drone passed a critical flight test, flying with an electro-optical camera and a total payload of 51 kilograms, officials from drone’s manufacturer said.

  • Aselsan, Honeywell Sign MoU on Collaboration
    Aselsan, Honeywell Sign MoU on Collaboration

    Turkish defense electronics specialist and US Honeywell have signed a memorandum of understanding to generate a framework for future collaboration, Aselsan said in a statement Feb. 27.

  • Two Turkish F-4s Crash, Four Pilots Killed
    Two Turkish F-4s Crash, Four Pilots Killed

    Two Turkish F-4 fighter jets crashed Tuesday during a reconnaissance mission in eastern Turkey.

  • Turkey Seeks National Plan for Cyber Threats
    Turkey Seeks National Plan for Cyber Threats

    Turkey is seeking to build a national framework that would incorporate all future anti-cyber activity and programs, a senior procurement official said.

  • Turkey Won’t Link Air Defense System to NATO
    Turkey Won’t Link Air Defense System to NATO

    The Turkish government has announced that it will not integrate its planned long-range air and anti-missile defense system with NATO assets stationed in the country.

  • Turkey, US May Soon Agree on Syria Plan
    Turkey, US May Soon Agree on Syria Plan

    NATO allies Turkey and the US are close to reaching a deal to equip and train the mildly-Islamist Free Syrian Army (FSA), a senior Turkish diplomat said Tuesday.

  • Turkey Raises $1.5B from Conscription Plan
    Turkey Raises $1.5B from Conscription Plan

    Turkish authorities announced the government raised an additional $1.5 billion to fund procurement programs through a plan that exempts citizens from conscription for a fee.

  • Turkish Indigenous Laser Weapon Advances
    Turkish Indigenous Laser Weapon Advances

    Procurement officials have confirmed press reports that Turkish engineers recently successfully tested the first prototype of a laser weapon similar to a US-developed system