Turkey's defense ministry budget to rise 86% in 2027, reaching 1.53 trillion lira

September 8, 2026 at 06:00 AM2 min

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Turkey's Medium-Term Program for 2027-2029 sets the National Defense Ministry's 2027 budget ceiling at 1.53 trillion lira, an 86% increase over 2026. The plan allocates 936 billion lira to goods and services procurement, nearly double the 501 billion lira for personnel. Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz announced the program on September 7, 2026.

Key Facts

The National Defense Ministry's 2027 budget ceiling is set at 1.53 trillion lira, an 86% increase from 822 billion lira in 2026.
The ministry's budget is projected to reach 1.799 trillion lira in 2028 and 2.065 trillion lira in 2029, a 151% rise from 2026.
The 2027 allocation includes 936 billion lira for goods and services procurement and 501 billion lira for personnel expenses.
Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz stated that defense spending will increase by 229% under the program.
The Defense Industry Support Fund collected 215 billion lira in 2024, of which 168 billion lira was spent on goods and services.

Budget Ceiling Increase

The Medium-Term Program for 2027-2029, announced by Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz on September 7, 2026, sets the National Defense Ministry's 2027 budget ceiling at 1.53 trillion lira. This represents an 86% increase from the 822 billion lira allocated in 2026. The ministry's budget is projected to rise to 1.799 trillion lira in 2028 and 2.065 trillion lira in 2029, a 151% increase from 2026. The ministry's share of the general budget among public administrations is 6.1%.

Procurement vs Personnel Spending

Of the 2027 allocation, 936 billion lira is planned for goods and services procurement, while 501 billion lira is earmarked for personnel expenses. This marks a reversal from 2026, when personnel expenses received 395 billion lira and goods and services procurement received 362 billion lira. Experts cited by Cumhuriyet attributed the sharp increase in procurement spending to the Eurofighter jet purchase. Turkey agreed last year to buy 20 Eurofighter jets from the United Kingdom for approximately 5.4 billion pounds sterling, equivalent to about 350 billion lira.

Defense Industry Support Fund

Vice President Yılmaz said the government aims to increase defense spending by 229% under the program. The 229% figure includes the National Defense Ministry, the Presidency of Defense Industries (SSB), and the Defense Industry Support Fund (SSDF). The SSB's budget rises by 39% compared to 2026, reaching 2.158 billion lira. The SSDF, established in 1985, collected 215 billion lira in 2024, of which 168 billion lira was spent on goods and services, according to the Court of Accounts' 2024 report. The SSDF's main sources are income tax, corporate tax, motor vehicle tax, and inheritance and transfer tax.