Turkish defence giant ventures into nuclear energy with innovative reactor photo

The Turkish defence and technology company Baykar has taken its first steps into nuclear energy by developing a small modular reactor (SMR), marking a significant expansion of its technological portfolio.

Türkiye’s Minister of Energy, Alparslan Bayraktar, confirmed that Baykar is working on an SMR prototype designed to produce 40 megawatts (MW) of electricity, Turkish media reports.

For context, this output slightly surpasses that of the latest LM2500 gas turbine models, widely used for large-scale electricity generation. However, the primary advantage of SMRs lies in their durability and compact size, allowing continuous operation for years while requiring significantly less space than conventional nuclear reactors.

In its long-term energy plans, Türkiye aims to generate 10–15% of its total electricity from nuclear power, with approximately 5,000 MW expected to come from small and medium-sized reactors.

The modular design of SMRs allows flexibility in both civilian and military applications. Civilians could benefit from clustered SMR units supplying electricity to cities or industrial zones, while individual reactors could provide power for naval platforms.

This development represents an important strategic step for the Turkish Navy, which recently announced plans to build a nuclear-powered attack submarine, named NUKDEN, intended to succeed the current fleet of AIP-powered MILDEN submarines.

The integration of SMRs could support both Türkiye’s civilian energy goals and its expanding naval capabilities.

By Tamilla Hasanova