In recent years, Turkey has emerged as a rising regional power. It has independent defense industries, produces armed and unarmed UAVs, missiles, warships, and advanced weapons systems, and maintains an extensive military presence from Syria to the Horn of Africa. The Turkish vision was articulated by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in his annual New Year’s address for 2026, in which he described Turkey’s military buildup as a “major leap forward” encompassing all domains of defense. Erdoğan frames this process as a “historic opportunity” for Turkey to convert military achievements into lasting success. However, the very military power that was expected to strengthen Turkey’s regional and international standing has, in recent years, isolated the country, entangled it both domestically and externally, and pushed it backward rather than forward.