Jeffrey Sachs: South Caucasus can become key connector in a multipolar world
Jeffrey D. Sachs, an economist, public policy analyst, Columbia University professor, and UN advisor, said Azerbaijan and the wider South Caucasus ...
Turkish defence firm Aselsan announced on Monday that it had signed a deal with the NATO alliance, of which Türkiye is a longstanding member, for the supply of “Identification of Friend or Foe” (IFF) interrogator systems for use with Man-Portable Air Defense Systems, or MANPADS.
In a statement, the company said that the deal had been agreed as part of the NATO Support and Procurement Agency's (NSPA) mission to “ensure deterrence against increasing aerial threats in the global theatre.”
“As a longstanding IFF provider in every domain and one of the few providers of Mode-5 IFF systems, Aselan takes utmost pride in offering its services and support to NSPA,” the company stated.
Based in Ankara, Aselan specialises in the research, development, and manufacture of advanced military equipment for air, land, and naval forces.
Established in 1975, it is now one of Türkiye’s largest defence-technology firms, currently ranking among the top 50 companies worldwide in its particular area of expertise.
Earlier this month, Aselan became the first Turkish company to reach the $30-billion mark in terms of total market value, highlighting the firm’s growing importance in the global defense-technology field.
In recent years, Türkiye – a NATO member since 1952 – has become a leading exporter of high-tech military-industrial equipment.
In early January 2026, Türkiye’s Defence Industries Secretariat (DIS) said that Turkish firms had sold more than $10 billion worth of defence and aviation equipment to foreign buyers in 2025 alone.
In remarks cited by state media, Haluk Gorgun, head of the DIS, said defence and aviation exports totaled $10.05 billion in 2025, a 48-percent increase on the previous year.
This figure included $9.87 billion worth of equipment sales and another $184 million in related services, Gorgun added.
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Jeffrey D. Sachs, an economist, public policy analyst, Columbia University professor, and UN advisor, said Azerbaijan and the wider South Caucasus could become one of the world’s key strategic connectors in an emerging multipolar order.
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