A symbolic convergence of Turkey’s armed forces and private military-industrial clout saw the country’s defence ministry choose a facility of drone manufacturer Baykar for its weekly operational briefing.

Addressing reporters at the Ozdemir Bayraktar facility in Istanbul on September 3, defence ministry spokesperson Rear Admiral Zeki Akturk provided an explicit endorsement of the role played by Baykar in serving the army. The choice of venue underscored how deeply the privately held company, owned by Selcuk Bayraktar, is now woven into the country’s military.

An admiral at ‘Family Inc’.

Think of ‘Family Inc’. Selcuk Bayraktar is the younger son-in-law of Turkey’s president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan. He operates Baykar with his brother Haluk. Ozdemir is their late father and the founder of the company.

During the briefing, Rear Admiral Akturk lauded Baykar as a "game-changer" for the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK). He credited the manufacturer with bolstering national intelligence, surveillance and strike capabilities while projecting Turkish influence globally through lucrative defence exports.

Akturk made a point of highlighting Baykar’s expanding arsenal. As things stand, Baykar drone models TB2 and Akinci are integrated into the TSK. In the Turkish government’s vision of modern statecraft, the military and Baykar are viewed as inextricably linked.

In essence, the ministry’s showcasing of the company in the fashion it chose highlighted a dramatic re-orientation of 'Turkey Inc' driven in part by ‘Family Inc’. The country’s armed forces now fly on private wings.