At the latest NATO Summit, Turkey demonstrated that its role in the Alliance is evolving beyond its geostrategic importance. Crucially, Turkey formally joined five strategic NATO capability programs covering integrated air and missile defense, long-range strike capabilities, space surveillance, critical defense raw materials, and unmanned systems superiority. At the NATO Summit Defence Industry Forum, NATO Deputy Secretary General Radmila Shekerinska announced that Turkey would directly contribute its air defense systems, satellites, and communications systems to the Alliance’s broader surveillance capabilities. At the Ankara summit, the Turkish defense sector underscored its commitment to making these technologies available to NATO in the coming years. Further readingImage: A view of the venue during the Defence Industry Forum at the NATO Summit in Ankara on July 7, 2026.