urkish defense firms have signed new agreements with European partners at the Eurosatory 2026 defense exhibition in Paris, as Türkiye’s defense industry seeks a wider role in the European market.
Armored vehicle maker FNSS signed a framework agreement with CSG Group to establish a joint venture focused on European armored vehicle programs.
The partnership is expected to begin with the CFL-120 KARPAT tank, which was unveiled in Slovakia in May.
The KARPAT is based on FNSS’ KAPLAN MT platform, previously produced and delivered to the Indonesian army, and integrates a 120 mm turret by Italy’s Leonardo.
The vehicle is designed as a medium-class armored platform combining firepower, mobility and survivability.
FNSS General Manager Selim Baybaş told Anadolu that this year’s Eurosatory was especially important for the company because of the new partnership.
“We are joining forces with an important European group,” Baybaş said, adding that FNSS brought its KARPAT-120 platform to its new partner’s stand.
“We hope that in the coming programs, we will be able to bring our vehicle into the inventories of important European NATO members,” he said.
Baybaş said Europe’s defense industry was facing capacity needs and technology gaps, while Türkiye had made strong progress in armored land vehicles and related technologies.
He said the cooperation would allow FNSS to enter European programs in line with local production and localization requirements.
“We want our vehicles, which have been used for years by the Turkish Armed Forces and have successfully represented our country in NATO programs and exercises, to be produced in Europe and enter the inventories of European armies,” Baybaş said.
Under the planned model, FNSS’ engineering, design and license rights would remain with the Turkish company, while some manufacturing would be carried out in Europe.
“Provided that all design and R&D capability, design capability and licenses remain with us, we plan to carry out manufacturing in Europe under this agreement,” Baybaş said.
“In a sense, we have built a model in which the technology comes from us and part of the manufacturing comes from Europe,” he added.
Baybaş said the KAPLAN-based platform was selected for Eurosatory because European programs increasingly favor lighter, more mobile vehicles with strong payload capacity.
He said the KARPAT’s 120 mm gun gave it the ability to perform missions normally associated with larger vehicles, while its weight and mobility could help meet European transport and logistics needs.
The company is targeting specific European programs and expects the cooperation to generate export opportunities for FNSS, CSG and the Turkish defense industry, Baybaş said.
In another agreement signed at Eurosatory, Belgian simulation company Euramec and Turkish defense firm Havelsan agreed on defense cooperation.
Belgian Defense Minister Theo Francken said the partnership opened new opportunities for Euramec in Türkiye’s defense market.
Euramec, based in Hamme, is known for flight simulator systems, while Havelsan works in defense technologies including simulation, command-and-control and training systems.
