The defense industry is thriving globally, and Turkey is no exception. One of the country’s leading defense companies, Baykar, has recently announced that it will reward its employees with grants equivalent to 18 salaries. Baykar is well-known for its technological advancements and international recognition. Its VP of Technology, Selcuk Beyrakter, is married to Soumya, the daughter of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Beyrakter is also recognized as the highest taxpayer in Turkey, having paid about 564 million lira (approximately 34 million dollars) to the country in 2022. Additionally, Baykar is known for its Bayraktar TB2 drone, which is widely used by the Ukrainian army.
The company generates 83% of its revenue from exports and ranked first in security exports within Turkey between 2021-2022. In 2022, amidst the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Baykar’s revenues spiked by 94%. Looking ahead to 2023, the Presidency of Defense Industries has confirmed that Baykar still leads in exports with a total of 1.8 billion dollars, representing a third of all defense sector exports.
As a gesture of appreciation for their employees’ hard work and dedication, Baykar announced that employees who have worked for more than six years or managers in the company for more than two years will receive the 18-salary grant. Selcuk and his brother Khaluk expressed their gratitude to the employees for their contribution to Baykar’s success. They emphasized the importance of teamwork and stated their belief in achieving even more together in the future.
Baykar was ranked 76th in the Stockholm Peace Research Institute’s list of the top 100 defense companies worldwide for 2022 while Israeli defense companies like Elbit, IAI and Rafael ranked higher in the list. The editorial policy of Globes ensures a diverse