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TÜRKIYE’S UAV DIPLOMACY AS A GEOPOLITICAL INSTRUMENT: A POST-2020 NAGORNO-KARABAKH WAR ASSESSMENT

Sayı: 17 29 Haziran 2026
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TÜRKIYE’S UAV DIPLOMACY AS A GEOPOLITICAL INSTRUMENT: A POST-2020 NAGORNO-KARABAKH WAR ASSESSMENT

Öz

In the last two decades, Türkiye has transformed unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs/UCAVs) into a key instrument of foreign policy and geopolitical influence alongside the rapid development of its defence industry. This study analyses the impact of Türkiye’s defence industrial capacity on foreign policy through the case of the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh War. Using a qualitative case study approach, it examines how Türkiye’s provision of UCAV-based military support to Azerbaijan influenced both the course of the conflict and regional power dynamics in the South Caucasus. The findings indicate that the operational effectiveness of Turkish-made UCAVs, particularly the Bayraktar TB2, significantly strengthened Azerbaijan’s military capabilities by degrading Armenian defensive systems and contributing to battlefield superiority. This demonstrates that Türkiye has moved beyond the role of a conventional defence supplier and has become an actor capable of influencing regional geopolitical balances. Moreover, the post-war expansion of defence exports suggests that Türkiye’s UAV-based foreign policy has contributed to the emergence of an alternative military-technological power centre in the international system. In conclusion, Türkiye’s defence industry-oriented foreign policy instruments not only generate military outcomes but also play a critical role in reshaping regional geopolitical order and redefining power projection in contemporary international relations.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Kaynakça

  1. Askerov, A., & Ibadoghlu, G. (2023). The causes and consequences of the second Karabakh war. In M. H. Yavuz & M. Gunther (Eds.), The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict: Historical and political perspectives (pp. 245–271). Routledge.
  2. Azizi, H., & Isachenko, D. (2023). Turkey-Iran rivalry in the changing geopolitics of the South Caucasus. SWP Research Paper, 49, 1–6.
  3. Bastian, J. (2024). Turkey—An emerging global arms exporter: Growing competitiveness and strategic recalibration of the Turkish defence industry. SWP Research Paper, 6, 1–8.
  4. Bayraklı, E. (2025). Cumhuriyetin 100. yılında T.C. Cumhurbaşkanlığı Savunma Sanayii Başkanlığı. Türkiye Araştırmaları Vakfı Yayınları.
  5. Bayraktar, H. (2022). On the road to a fully independent and prosperous Türkiye: The case of Baykar. In M. F. Kacır, M. Şeker, & M. Doğrul (Eds.), National technology initiative: Social reflections and Türkiye's future (pp. 273–286). Türkiye Bilimler Akademisi.
  6. Campbell, M. (2024, September 10). Drone proliferation dataset. Center for a New American Security. https://www.cnas.org/publications/reports/drone-proliferation-dataset (Accessed December 22, 2025).
  7. Chirciu, D. (2020, October 7). Kremlin: KGAÖ kapsamdaki yükümlülükler Karabağ için geçerli değil. Anadolu Ajansı. https://www.aa.com.tr/tr/azerbaycan-cephe-hatti/kremlin-kgao-kapsamdaki-yukumlulukler-karabag-icin-gecerli-degil/1998703 (Accessed December 18, 2025).
  8. Cottey, A., & Forster, A. (2004). Reshaping defence diplomacy: New roles for military cooperation and assistance. Oxford University Press.

Ayrıntılar

Birincil Dil

İngilizce

Konular

Bölgesel Çalışmalar, Uluslararası İlişkiler (Diğer)

Bölüm

Araştırma Makalesi

Yayımlanma Tarihi

29 Haziran 2026

Gönderilme Tarihi

6 Mayıs 2026

Kabul Tarihi

17 Haziran 2026

Yayımlandığı Sayı

Yıl 2026 Sayı: 17

Kaynak Göster

APA
Torun, B. A. (2026). TÜRKIYE’S UAV DIPLOMACY AS A GEOPOLITICAL INSTRUMENT: A POST-2020 NAGORNO-KARABAKH WAR ASSESSMENT. Dumlupınar Üniversitesi İİBF Dergisi, 17. https://doi.org/10.58627/dpuiibf.1945599
AMA
1.Torun BA. TÜRKIYE’S UAV DIPLOMACY AS A GEOPOLITICAL INSTRUMENT: A POST-2020 NAGORNO-KARABAKH WAR ASSESSMENT. DPU İİBF Dergisi. 2026;(17). doi:10.58627/dpuiibf.1945599
Chicago
Torun, Bilal Alper. 2026. “TÜRKIYE’S UAV DIPLOMACY AS A GEOPOLITICAL INSTRUMENT: A POST-2020 NAGORNO-KARABAKH WAR ASSESSMENT”. Dumlupınar Üniversitesi İİBF Dergisi, sy 17. https://doi.org/10.58627/dpuiibf.1945599.
EndNote
Torun BA (01 Haziran 2026) TÜRKIYE’S UAV DIPLOMACY AS A GEOPOLITICAL INSTRUMENT: A POST-2020 NAGORNO-KARABAKH WAR ASSESSMENT. Dumlupınar Üniversitesi İİBF Dergisi 17
IEEE
[1]B. A. Torun, “TÜRKIYE’S UAV DIPLOMACY AS A GEOPOLITICAL INSTRUMENT: A POST-2020 NAGORNO-KARABAKH WAR ASSESSMENT”, DPU İİBF Dergisi, sy 17, Haz. 2026, doi: 10.58627/dpuiibf.1945599.
ISNAD
Torun, Bilal Alper. “TÜRKIYE’S UAV DIPLOMACY AS A GEOPOLITICAL INSTRUMENT: A POST-2020 NAGORNO-KARABAKH WAR ASSESSMENT”. Dumlupınar Üniversitesi İİBF Dergisi. 17 (01 Haziran 2026). https://doi.org/10.58627/dpuiibf.1945599.
JAMA
1.Torun BA. TÜRKIYE’S UAV DIPLOMACY AS A GEOPOLITICAL INSTRUMENT: A POST-2020 NAGORNO-KARABAKH WAR ASSESSMENT. DPU İİBF Dergisi. 2026. doi:10.58627/dpuiibf.1945599.
MLA
Torun, Bilal Alper. “TÜRKIYE’S UAV DIPLOMACY AS A GEOPOLITICAL INSTRUMENT: A POST-2020 NAGORNO-KARABAKH WAR ASSESSMENT”. Dumlupınar Üniversitesi İİBF Dergisi, sy 17, Haziran 2026, doi:10.58627/dpuiibf.1945599.
Vancouver
1.Bilal Alper Torun. TÜRKIYE’S UAV DIPLOMACY AS A GEOPOLITICAL INSTRUMENT: A POST-2020 NAGORNO-KARABAKH WAR ASSESSMENT. DPU İİBF Dergisi. 01 Haziran 2026;(17). doi:10.58627/dpuiibf.1945599