TurkishJournal – Enes Kılıç – Selçuk Bayraktar, the Turkish aerospace engineer who is credited with leading the country’s drone revolution, has been named on Washington-based Foreign Policy magazine’s list of “The Year’s Best Profiles”.
The magazine notes that “for Erdogan’s AKP to outlive him, it must appeal to a broader base that includes secular nationalists,” and positions Bayraktar as a potential key to this expansion.
Bayraktar’s drones have been used to great effect in Turkey’s military operations in Syria, Libya, and Nagorno-Karabakh. The drones have also been exported to countries around the world, making Bayraktar a global figure in the defense industry.
Bayraktar’s rise as a techno-nationalist figurehead has captured the imagination of many Turks. His Baykar Makina, the company behind the game-changing Bayraktar TB2 drones, has become a symbol of Turkish technological prowess on the global stage. This, coupled with Bayraktar’s vocal advocacy for a self-sufficient Turkey, has resonated with a growing segment of the population seeking national pride and independence.
Bayraktar also broke through the old guard to become Turkey’s top taxpayer this year.
Foreign Policy’s characterization of Bayraktar as “the chief purveyor of a political philosophy that is gaining ground in the country” underscores his potential influence in shaping Turkey’s future. Whether he will translate his technological and nationalist appeal into a formal political role within the AKP remains to be seen. However, his inclusion in such a prominent international publication suggests that Bayraktar’s star is on the rise, and his impact on Turkish politics could be significant in the years to come.
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