The defense industry is booming in China and Turkey

China produces more defense equipment than the United States, according to a Pentagon report, and Turkish defense companies are on the rise with their drones being exported to various armed conflicts.

In 2024, there is one country that is now ahead of all others in terms of weapons construction: China. The Pentagon even estimates that the production of Chinese defense industries now exceeds that of the United States and its allies. For their part, Turkish defense companies are driving growth in arms sales in the Middle East, the region which last year accounted for the largest percentage increase in revenues linked to arms sales in the world.

China is catching up with the West

According to the new American national defense strategy, which is not yet official but which the magazine Politico obtained a copy in early December, “China’s military industry now produces more defense equipment than the industry of the United States, its Pacific theater allies, and its European allies combined”. This report notes that Chinese industrial production rates are significantly higher than American rates. In short, China produces much more and much faster than the United States. In fact, in 30 years, China has almost caught up with the West in most military areas, and it would be logical to see it overtake the United States by 2030.

Currently, according to the same report, American equipment remains technologically superior, but this ascendancy is rapidly decreasing. Given the technological and scientific effort at work in China, it is entirely likely that the qualitative gap will be closed or even reversed to the benefit of China. We must also not forget in the equation the numerical balance of power, obviously very favorable to the People’s Liberation Army.

But where the problem lies in China, it is more on the human level than the material level. China recently dismissed at least 15 high-ranking military personnel from their posts, without explanation, although this wave of purges seems linked to corruption investigations currently shaking the People’s Liberation Army. Without forgetting of course the disappearance of the Chinese Minister of Defense, Li Shangfu, who was replaced last month for the first time by a Navy soldier, Admiral Dong Jun, who is familiar with the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea, two priority areas of influence for Beijing.

Turkish drones in Libya, Azerbaijan and Ukraine

Turkish exports, to more than 170 countries, jumped 30% to reach more than $5.5 billion. The Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan is aiming for 10 billion in the coming years. Turkey is also becoming autonomous. It which, in 20 years, has reduced its dependence on foreign countries in terms of defense from 80% to 20%. Air, land, sea… All sectors are concerned and this fairly spectacular progression is notably due to Western embargoes which have encouraged the country to produce its own military technologies.

A leap fueled by drones which are the beating heart of the Turkish defense industry. We no longer present the Bayraktar TB2 drones which have shone in the theaters of operations in Libya, Azerbaijan and of course in Ukraine. The success of Turkish drones on the planet is embodied by one face, that of Selcuk Bayraktar, the ideal son-in-law of President Erdogan. The pro-government press has multiplied flattering portraits in recent days. She particularly emphasizes that he is Türkiye’s largest taxpayer. And we predict a brilliant political future for the man who is often presented as the heir apparent to the Turkish president.

Besides Baykar, three other Turkish manufacturers entered the top 100: Aselsan, Turkish aerospace industry and Roketsan. Because beyond its drones, Turkey is betting on its combat helicopters, its Altay assault tanks, it exports armored vehicles, naval equipment, howitzers, mine clearance vehicles, assault rifles… And is proud of having built the first aircraft carrier for drones, notably the TCG Anadolu which regularly parades on the Bosphorus. Without forgetting the fifth generation combat aircraft which is in the pipeline.

But this picture also contains some gray areas, the Al Monitor information site points to the weaknesses of the Turkish military-industrial ecosystem. There is in particular competition between Turkish manufacturers as there are now several hundred of them, the long time between the prototype and large-scale production, or even the lack of transparency in public procurement. And then, in overall volume, its sales represent only 1% of the world total. The United States, even at half mast, remains the heavyweight in the sector.