Türkiye, Azerbaijan, and the US possess significant potential and a broad list of overlapping interests for deepening cooperation in the defense-industrial complex, Mert Ünsal, head of the Defense, Aviation, and Space Industry Committee at TABA-AmCham, stated during the Eurasia Investment & Networking Summit 2026 held in Baku, Report informs.
According to available data, the volume of defense industry operations between Azerbaijan and Türkiye ranges from $160 million to $197 million, while between Türkiye and the US, this figure stands between $1.2 billion and $1.4 billion. Information regarding the financial volume of defense interaction between the United States and Azerbaijan remains unknown.
Ünsal emphasized that modern international relations trends and the principle of interdependence are increasingly evident not only in the global economy but also in the military-industrial complex.
"At present, all three states have many points of contact in the area of common interests. The modern manufacturing of high-tech defense products - whether missile systems, aviation equipment, or unmanned aerial vehicles-involves cooperation and component supplies from various countries. The ability to effectively form such technological chains directly affects the configuration of international alliances and the security architecture," he stated.
The committee head emphasized that strengthening trilateral ties and cooperation between enterprises in Azerbaijan, Türkiye, and the US can deliver tangible economic results and contribute to enhancing regional security. At the same time, he drew attention to differences in the business environment: "While partnership with the American market provides access to large subsidies, it is fraught with the need to navigate complex licensing procedures; whereas cooperation with the Turkish defense and space industry is characterized by greater flexibility and commercial accessibility. To give an example: if an Azerbaijani company locates production in the US, it can take advantage of significant benefits and subsidies there and gain access to that market. However, there is a specific complexity: it is necessary to obtain about 18 licenses. Obtaining these 18 licenses requires investing a significant amount of time and financial resources."
In this regard, TABA-AmCham plans to assist companies from all three states in identifying partners and establishing joint ventures in the defense-industrial sector, he said.