Many countries around the world consider steel supply for the defense industry as a part of their national security strategy. In countries such as the USA, Russia, China, Germany, and South Korea, both government-supported and private sector-focused integrated steel manufacturers develop special alloy steels for military products.
For example:
- United States Steel Corporation (U.S. Steel) and ArcelorMittal USA are key suppliers of armored vehicle steels and specialized sheet metals for military platforms to the U.S. military.
- Thyssenkrupp (Germany) provides special alloy steels for submarine and warship projects.
- Baowu Steel (China) and POSCO (South Korea) play a significant role in the production of high-strength steels with special grades used in the defense industry.
These companies not only produce steel but also participate in specialized product development projects that provide the mechanical properties required by the defense industry. Needs such as protection against armor-piercing ammunition, high-temperature resistance, and steel surfaces that reduce radar visibility continuously push the boundaries of steel technology.
The Situation in Türkiye
In recent years, Türkiye has placed a strong emphasis on localization and nationalization in its defense industry. Within this vision, steel production has become a strategic pillar. Although the production of specialized steels for the defense sector is still in a developmental phase, it stands out as a field with high potential.
The production of high-grade steel is critically important in many areas such as tank hulls, artillery barrels, aircraft components, helicopter systems, armored vehicles, and UAV/SİHA platforms. For this reason, the Turkish iron and steel industry has expanded its focus beyond conventional sectors like construction and automotive to include high value-added steels tailored to the defense industry.
IDEF International Defense Industry Fair
The recently held IDEF International Defense Industry Fair served as an important platform to make this relationship more visible. IDEF brought together domestic defense industry companies in need of specific steel grades and steel producers aiming to meet those needs, thereby enhancing cross-sector synergy.
At events like IDEF, direct interaction between steel manufacturers and the defense industry opens the door to R&D collaborations. Such events also play a critical role in aligning industrial stakeholders with strategies aimed at reducing Türkiye’s foreign dependency.
The collaboration between the iron and steel sector and the defense industry holds great promise for the future—both economically and strategically. The growing demand for steel types with properties such as high strength, lightness, heat resistance, and special magnetic characteristics makes closer cooperation between these two sectors inevitable.
Increasing the production of high-quality steels for the defense industry—both globally and specifically in Türkiye—is not only an economic opportunity, but also a strategic move in terms of national security. Especially in next-generation defense technologies, reducing foreign dependency makes steel, quite literally, the “backbone” of progress.
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