ASELSAN, a Turkish defence electronics manufacturer, announced its highest-ever financial results for 2025, with total revenue reaching 180.4 billion Turkish Lira (TL). This represents a 15% real-term growth, driven by an aggressive expansion across Africa through new offices and localisation agreements. The year concluded with a record backlog of 20.4 billion USD, up 46% from 2024, fueled by a surge in new orders totalling 9.6 billion USD. Export contracts experienced a remarkable 104% increase, with over 2 billion USD in new international deals signed during the year.
On September 23, 2025, ASELSAN President and CEO Ahmet Akyol met with Nigerian Air Force Chief Air Marshal Hasan Bala Abubakar. This meeting at the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) headquarters followed the company’s June 2025 opening of a new business office in Abuja. The discussion centred on improving radar systems and air defence structures to aid Nigeria’s counter-insurgency efforts in the Sahel region.
ASELSAN’S expansion into West Africa is complemented by stronger ties in Southern Africa. The company signed an important agreement with the South African Pamodzi Group to produce the Astela 3710 handheld radio locally. Additionally, ASELSAN is working with Denel Aeronautics to upgrade avionics for the Rooivalk attack helicopter.
These initiatives are part of a broader plan to support 21 African countries where ASELSAN equipment is already deployed. Countries such as Angola, Algeria, Morocco, Chad, and Burkina Faso have become regular buyers of Turkish defence products.
Strengthening the Steel Dome
The 2025 financial surge was largely driven by demand for the Steel Dome (Celik Kubbe) air defence system, alongside radar and electronic warfare suites. To meet this demand, ASELSAN increased its research and development (R&D) spending by 40% to 1.36 billion USD. Capital expenditures for serial production doubled to 372 million USD as the company commissioned 14 new facilities.
A central piece of this industrial growth is the Ogulbey Technology Base, a 1.5 billion USD investment designed to bolster the production of air defence components. The facility supports the manufacturing of high-value electronics that have pushed ASELSAN’S export unit value to 2,200 USD per kilogram.
Internal efficiency also improved through the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into corporate processes. This transition resulted in 39 million USD in annual savings and contributed to an EBITDA margin (Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortisation) of 26.2%. The company’s net debt fell by 33%, according to the Public Disclosure Platform (KAP).
ASELSAN now employs 14,000 personnel, reflecting its growth into a major global player in tactical communications and electro-optics. The firm’s ability to offer technology transfers, rather than just off-the-shelf hardware, has made it a preferred partner for nations seeking to build domestic industrial capacity.
The establishment of the Abuja hub and the South African production line shows a shift toward localised support models. By placing technical staff and assembly lines closer to the end user, ASELSAN reduces long-term maintenance hurdles for African militaries.
The firm expects these strategic investments to result in export revenues of approximately 1 billion USD in 2026. This projection is supported by a 158.6 million USD contract recently secured for military communication systems across the Middle East and Africa.
Future growth is likely to focus on naval and air capabilities as West African nations seek to secure maritime borders and improve precision strike accuracy. With its 50th anniversary marked by record profitability, ASELSAN is positioned to remain a dominant technology provider in the developing defence markets of the Global South.