“At WDS, We Are Conducting Discussions with Various Users on Different Configurations and Protection Levels for Both EJDER YALÇIN and YÖRÜK Vehicles!”
Continuing to provide solutions tailored to the operational requirements of user countries with its broad product portfolio, NUROL MAKİNA is steadily strengthening its position in the global defense industry. With its vehicles actively in service in more than 25 countries across a wide geography stretching from Africa to the Gulf, from South America to Europe and even the East Asia, NUROL MAKİNA continuously enhances its product range by integrating feedback from users in different regions and operational experience from the field into its R&D processes. As a result of this approach, the company has recently achieved significant export successes with armored vehicle solutions shaped by field data and designed to meet real operational needs.
Held in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, between February 8-12, 2026, the World Defense Show (WDS) 2026 brought together global defense industry companies operating across land, air, naval, space, and cybersecurity domains, standing out as a prestigious platform for both the regional and global defense ecosystem. At its booth located in Hall 1, NUROL MAKİNA showcased its YÖRÜK and EJDER YALÇIN EWB (Extended Wheelbase) solutions, both of which have undergone field testing and achieved notable export success. During WDS 2026, we met with NUROL MAKİNA Business Development Director Mehmet Çorbacıoğlu to discuss the company’s participation in the exhibition, its expectations and objectives for the Middle East and Gulf markets, particularly Saudi Arabia, as well as the core capabilities that distinguish NUROL MAKİNA in the international arena.
Defence Turkey: Which of your products did you highlight at the World Defense Show (WDS) 2026, which focuses on localization and the display of cutting-edge technologies in line with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030? What can you tell us about your expectations from the exhibition?
Mehmet ÇORBACIOĞLU: As NUROL MAKİNA, we are participating in this exhibition for the second time. We are currently showcasing the EJDER YALÇIN Extended Wheelbase (EWB) and our YÖRÜK vehicle. The first day of the exhibition took place with high-level participation. On the first day, our booth was visited by senior officials from both Saudi Arabia and Türkiye. In this context, we hosted Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Bandar Bin Ibrahim Al-Khorayef, Deputy Minister of National Defence Musa Heybet, and Türkiye’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Prof. Dr. Emrullah İşler at our booth. Today, the exhibition has opened to official delegations, and therefore we are experiencing a much more intensive visitor schedule.
As NUROL MAKİNA, we are a company with active vehicle users in the Gulf region. As you know, hundreds of our vehicles are in service in countries such as Kuwait and Qatar. In addition, in 2023, our vehicle was invited to summer trials in Saudi Arabia and achieved highly successful results in these tests. Following this process, we began receiving requests from various user institutions in Saudi Arabia for different vehicle models and configurations.
Defence Turkey: In the Saudi Arabian market, for which of your products or solutions are you seeking partnerships?
Mehmet ÇORBACIOĞLU: At this point, we have a collaboration with SAMI Land, one of Saudi Arabia’s domestic defense companies. As you may recall, during the IDEF 2025 exhibition (on July 25, 2025), we signed a cooperation agreement with SAMI Land with the participation of the Secretary of Defence Industries Prof. Dr. Haluk Görgün, Saudi Arabia’s Deputy Minister of Defence Dr. Khalid Bin Hussein Al-Biyari, and the Governor of the General Authority for Military Industries (GAMI), Eng. Ahmed Bin Abdulaziz Al-Ohali.
In this context, the EJDER YALÇIN vehicle we are exhibiting here is displayed together with the ROAYA 12.7mm Weapon Turret developed by SAMI Land. This turret constitutes a concrete example of the cooperation between Nurol Makina and SAMI Land.
Defence Turkey: Was this turret integrated onto the vehicle in Saudi Arabia?
Mehmet ÇORBACIOĞLU: Yes, the integration was carried out here. We shipped our vehicle for display at the exhibition and, together with SAMI Land, integrated the weapon turret onto the vehicle here.
Defence Turkey: Was any live-fire tests conducted here with the ROAYA 12.7mm Weapon Turret?
Mehmet ÇORBACIOĞLU: We are conducting various studies and planning activities together with our local partner SAMI Land in Saudi Arabia regarding both current and future projects.
Defence Turkey: In Türkiye, ASELSAN’s remote-controlled weapon stations are generally preferred. For instance, at WDS 2024, the EJDER YALÇIN EWB was exhibited in the outdoor area with ASELSAN’s 25mm NEFER-L Weapon Turret. Considering the potential customers in Saudi Arabia, what calibers of weapon systems are requested for these vehicles?
Mehmet ÇORBACIOĞLU: For the 12.7mm caliber, they are considering their locally developed ROAYA 12.7mm Weapon Turret solution. At the same time, there is also demand for turrets in the 25mm class. (During IDEF 2025, on July 25, 2025, a teaming agreement was signed between ASELSAN and SAMI Land for technology and know-how transfer aimed at the localization and production of ASELSAN’s weapon turret systems.)
Defence Turkey: So, the use of a 25mm weapon turret on the vehicles may also be on the agenda?
Mehmet ÇORBACIOĞLU: Yes, that is a possibility.
Defence Turkey: Does this requirement cover both vehicle models, or is it limited to EJDER YALÇIN?
Mehmet ÇORBACIOĞLU: There are quite diverse user institutions in Saudi Arabia. Not only the Land Forces, but also different entities such as the National Guard and Military Police. Therefore, we are conducting discussions with various users for both our EJDER YALÇIN and YÖRÜK vehicles, covering different configurations and protection levels.
Defence Turkey: You mentioned Kuwait, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia. Are there other markets or tenders in the Gulf region that you are currently following?
Mehmet ÇORBACIOĞLU: We operate in many countries across the Gulf region and closely monitor opportunities. At present, our main users are Kuwait and Qatar. In particular, we have multiple user institutions in Qatar. However, the most important market we are currently focusing on is Saudi Arabia.
Defence Turkey: Saudi Arabia places significant emphasis on localization in defense procurement under Vision 2030 and aims to increase the local content rate to 50%. In the event of an order, could local partnerships also come into play in areas such as maintenance, logistics support, and sustainment of the vehicles?
Mehmet ÇORBACIOĞLU: Frankly, our primary objective here is to offer solutions aligned with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 goals. We are working on a business model in this direction together with SAMI Land. Ultimately, in the event of a contract being signed, a structure can be established that will also address requirements such as technology transfer and localization.
Defence Turkey: Beyond the Gulf region, you also have significant users in Africa and Southeast Asia. What are the key capabilities that distinguish NUROL MAKİNA from its competitors in these different markets? Is it price advantage, product quality, or your flexibility in establishing local partnerships and enabling technology transfer?
Mehmet ÇORBACIOĞLU: First and foremost, we have a very strong product family that has proven itself in the field. In order to develop a strong product, you need robust capabilities in both engineering and manufacturing. In this regard, we have highly experienced engineering and production teams.
In addition, we do not merely listen to feedback from the field, we place it directly at the center of our product development processes. Understanding the real needs of the user and responding to them quickly is one of the most critical factors that differentiates us in the competition. Moreover, Nurol Holding’s experience in international markets is also a significant advantage for us.
At the point we have reached today, our vehicles are actively in service in more than 25 countries across a wide geography, from Africa to the Gulf region, from South America to Europe and the East Asia. This broad geographical presence is the clearest indication that NUROL MAKİNA is not only a manufacturer but also a globally trusted solution partner. Of course, for us, the job does not end with the delivery of the vehicle, on the contrary, that is where the real responsibility begins. In modern defense systems, the key to success lies in providing sustainable and uninterrupted support throughout the entire lifecycle of the platform. With this understanding, we represent not only NUROL MAKİNA but also Turkish engineering and the Turkish Defense Industry in the field. Therefore, one of our top priorities is to continue meeting customer requirements and standing by them throughout the entire lifecycle. Thanks to our strong performance in this area, we have had the opportunity to sign multiple contracts with many user countries.
Defence Turkey: You emphasized that your product family is very strong. If I am not mistaken, it has been more than 10 years since the EJDER YALÇIN Block 1 platform was introduced to the market. During this period, the vehicle has undergone significant improvements based on field feedback and operational experience. What stage does the current EWB version represent in this evolution process? What kind of differences can we expect in future versions that may be classified as Block 5 or Block 6? How do you progress in terms of an improvement roadmap when transitioning from one block to another in the design and production of EJDER YALÇIN?
Mehmet ÇORBACIOĞLU: Ultimately, this is a system-of-systems. As I mentioned earlier, we continuously evaluate feedback from customers and implement the necessary updates on the vehicle. In this context, the current EJDER YALÇIN EWB represents the most up-to-date version of the EJDER family and incorporates the latest subsystems available on the platform.
Our approach to this matter is built on continuously enhancing the vehicle’s capacity, mobility, and protection level. In this regard, we can confidently state that the current model reflects the most advanced technologies we possess.
Of course, these developments do not only affect the subsystems on the vehicle, but also the lifecycle performance of the platform. Our objective is not only to meet the user’s day-to-day operational requirements, but also to ensure that the vehicle becomes a longer-lasting, more durable, and more sustainable platform. We continue our development efforts in line with this objective.
Defence Turkey: Now, with your permission, I have two questions. The first concerns the manufacturing technologies you use in armored vehicle production. As you progressed block by block in the production of EJDER YALÇIN, did you also introduce improvements in your production infrastructure, such as the use of robotic welding? My second question relates to the armor used on the vehicles. Your sister company NUROL TEKNOLOJİ is highly capable in vehicle armor and armor systems for platforms. Do you use NUROL TEKNOLOJİ-developed armor systems in EJDER YALÇIN and YÖRÜK vehicles? Are you able to deliver vehicles with different levels of ballistic and mine protection in line with STANAG standards based on customer requirements, or is there a standard configuration in terms of armor protection?
Mehmet ÇORBACIOĞLU: As NUROL Group companies, we have a very strong level of experience and a wide range of solutions. As you also mentioned, NUROL TEKNOLOJİ is one of the globally prominent companies, particularly in the field of ceramic composite armor. Thanks to this capability, we are able to respond to different protection level requirements from different customers with solutions developed within the same group structure.
On the production side, all vehicles manufactured at NUROL MAKİNA are produced using advanced manufacturing technologies. We make extensive use of robotic welding technologies in our production processes, and a large portion of the vehicle hulls are manufactured using robotic welding methods. This approach allows us to both minimize the risk of human error and increase production speed, enabling us to deliver vehicles in shorter timeframes. It is also worth noting that the investments made by our company in its production infrastructure play a significant role in this capability.
At the point we have reached today, we hold a strong position on a global scale in terms of our production infrastructure and technological capacity. Especially for customers requesting technology transfer, the opportunity to see our production infrastructure and technological capabilities on-site significantly facilitates their decision-making processes.
Defence Turkey: As NUROL MAKİNA, how many armored vehicles have you delivered to how many countries worldwide to date?
Mehmet ÇORBACIOĞLU: We can say that we have delivered over 2,000 vehicles to more than 25 countries.
Defence Turkey: Apart from your factory in Ankara, did you establish your first overseas production line in Hungary?
Mehmet ÇORBACIOĞLU: Yes, we have a production facility in Hungary. In addition, we are in the process of establishing a new production facility in the United Kingdom.
Defence Turkey: Will the facility in the United Kingdom also be used for armored vehicle production?
Mehmet ÇORBACIOĞLU: Yes, an infrastructure for vehicle production is being established there as well. We can say that the facility is largely ready.
Defence Turkey: Is this facility being established for a specific tender, or does it target a broader market?
Mehmet ÇORBACIOĞLU: Frankly, we are evaluating both possibilities. It could serve as a production hub for both the United Kingdom’s needs and for neighboring countries.
Defence Turkey: Mr. Çorbacıoğlu, thank you for your time and we wish you continued success in your work
