An Integrated Approach to Strategically Regulated Industries

Defence, security, aerospace and aviation increasingly operate at the intersection of law, technology, international trade and national security. A commercial transaction may simultaneously raise questions concerning procurement rules, licensing, sanctions, export controls, cybersecurity, intellectual property, foreign investment, anti-corruption requirements and criminal or administrative liability. Bıçak approaches these sectors accordingly. Rather than treating regulatory, transactional, compliance and dispute matters in isolation, the firm brings together experience in commercial law, international trade, criminal law and investigations, cybersecurity, regulatory compliance, arbitration and litigation.

Entering Türkiye’s Defence, Aerospace and Aviation Markets

International companies entering Türkiye require a structure that reflects both their commercial objectives and the regulatory characteristics of the sector. Bıçak assists with subsidiaries and branches, local partnerships, distributors and representatives, strategic alliances, joint ventures, acquisitions, investments and other market-entry arrangements. The firm also advises on due diligence, corporate structuring, contractual allocation of responsibilities, regulatory approvals, localisation, compliance frameworks and relationships with Turkish counterparties. For companies seeking longer-term cooperation with Turkish industry, the legal architecture of the relationship can be as important as the initial commercial opportunity.

Defence Procurement & Government Contracts

Defence procurement involves specialised contractual and regulatory considerations that distinguish it from ordinary commercial procurement. Bıçak advises contractors, subcontractors, suppliers and technology companies on tender processes, government contracts, subcontracting, teaming arrangements, industrial participation, offsets, contract performance and procurement-related disputes. The firm also assists with issues involving classified or sensitive information, security obligations, amendments, termination, liability and the interaction between public procurement requirements and private contractual relationships.

International Defence Partnerships & Industrial Cooperation

International defence projects increasingly involve joint development, co-production and long-term industrial relationships rather than conventional buyer-seller arrangements. Bıçak advises on strategic partnerships, joint ventures, consortium agreements, localisation, licensing, co-production, manufacturing arrangements, R&D cooperation and international supply agreements. Particular attention is given to governance, allocation of risk, intellectual property, technology transfer, export-control responsibilities, confidentiality, compliance and dispute-resolution mechanisms. These issues are examined in greater detail in our analysis, Legal Considerations for International Defence Partnerships in Türkiye.

Sanctions, Export Controls & Strategic Trade Compliance

Sanctions and export controls can determine whether a defence, aerospace or aviation transaction is legally possible, not merely how it should be documented. Bıçak advises on Turkish export-control requirements and the potential application of foreign regimes, including U.S. EAR and ITAR requirements and relevant EU and UK measures. The practice covers product and technology classification, licensing, end-user and end-use due diligence, restricted-party screening, ownership and control, re-export and retransfer restrictions, diversion risks and intermediary relationships. The firm also assists with sanctions clauses, contractual allocation of export-control responsibilities, payment and banking restrictions, supply-chain screening and internal compliance reviews.

Defence & Aerospace Supply Chains

Modern defence and aerospace programmes depend upon complex international supply chains extending far beyond prime contractors. Advanced materials, composites, specialist metals, electronics, semiconductors, sensors, software, inspection services, logistics and maintenance may all form part of the same regulated ecosystem. Bıçak assists manufacturers, OEMs, suppliers and service providers with supplier due diligence, contractual controls, sanctions and export-control risks, traceability, confidentiality, quality obligations, customs and international trade issues, and supply-chain disruption.

Technology Transfer, Intellectual Property & Sensitive Know-How

International cooperation frequently requires the transfer or controlled sharing of technology and commercially sensitive information. Bıçak advises on licensing, technical assistance, R&D and joint-development agreements, trade secrets, manufacturing know-how, software, source code and technical data. Agreements are structured to address background and foreground intellectual property, permitted use, confidentiality, access restrictions, export-control requirements and ownership of newly developed technology.

Civil Aviation Regulation & SHGM Proceedings

Civil aviation in Türkiye is subject to extensive technical and administrative regulation. Bıçak assists airlines, aircraft operators, aviation businesses, investors and service providers with licensing, certification, operating authorisations, regulatory compliance, aviation safety requirements, administrative proceedings and regulatory investigations. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (SHGM) is headquartered in Ankara. Bıçak is also headquartered in Ankara, with its office located in close proximity to the Directorate General. This allows the firm, where required, to follow regulatory and administrative matters directly before SHGM and engage with other relevant central authorities. For international aviation businesses, this Ankara-based regulatory capability is combined with the firm’s experience in cross-border transactions, commercial contracts, compliance and disputes.

Airlines, Aircraft Transactions & Aviation Infrastructure

Bıçak advises airlines, aircraft operators, aviation service providers, airports and investors on operational and commercial matters. The practice includes aircraft acquisition and sale, leasing, financing, registration and deregistration, security interests, insurance and cross-border aircraft transactions. The firm also assists with airport and aviation infrastructure projects, service agreements, ground-related operations, commercial arrangements and disputes arising from aviation projects.

Aviation Disputes, Accidents & Liability

Aviation disputes can involve contractual, regulatory, insurance, tort and criminal-law dimensions simultaneously. Bıçak advises on passenger and cargo disputes, contractual claims, operational liability, aviation insurance and cross-border disputes. Where accidents, incidents or regulatory investigations occur, the firm’s experience in evidence, criminal procedure, internal investigations and dispute resolution provides an additional perspective in matters involving potential administrative, civil or criminal exposure.

UAVs, Drones & Autonomous Systems

Unmanned and autonomous systems increasingly bridge the traditional boundaries between civil aviation, defence and advanced technology. Bıçak advises on regulatory classification, registration and operational requirements, licensing, payloads and sensors, data protection, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, liability and export controls. Particular attention is given to technologies capable of both civilian and military application and the resulting dual-use and end-use considerations.

Space, Satellites & Advanced Aerospace Technologies

The growing commercial and strategic importance of space technologies creates legal issues extending across contracts, international cooperation, intellectual property, cybersecurity and export controls. Bıçak assists businesses involved in satellite technologies, aerospace components, ground systems, R&D and related supply chains with commercial agreements, controlled technologies, technology transfer, regulatory compliance and international partnerships.

Cybersecurity, AI & Emerging Defence Technologies

Software, artificial intelligence, autonomous platforms and connected systems are becoming integral to defence, aerospace and aviation. Bıçak advises on cybersecurity obligations, AI governance, sensitive data, technology contracts, cyber incidents and regulatory risks associated with emerging technologies. These matters are considered alongside export controls, intellectual property, national-security concerns and contractual responsibility.

Compliance, Anti-Corruption & Internal Investigations

Defence and aerospace businesses face heightened exposure to corruption, third-party, procurement and international trade risks. Bıçak assists with anti-corruption compliance, intermediary and counterparty risks, procurement integrity, whistleblowing, internal investigations, suspected fraud and potential sanctions or export-control violations. The firm’s established criminal-law and white-collar practice enables compliance advice to be combined with defence strategy where regulatory concerns develop into administrative or criminal investigations.

Arbitration, Litigation & High-Stakes Disputes

Bıçak represents clients in disputes arising from defence contracts, procurement, supply arrangements, technology and intellectual property agreements, joint ventures and other international commercial relationships. The firm’s dispute-resolution capabilities include Turkish litigation, international arbitration, enforcement proceedings and negotiated resolution. Matters involving commercially sensitive, regulated or national-security-related information are approached with particular attention to confidentiality and procedural strategy.

NATO, European Defence Cooperation & International Programmes

Defence companies increasingly participate in multinational industrial, innovation and R&D ecosystems involving NATO members, European partners and international consortia. Bıçak assists companies with the contractual, compliance, technology-transfer and governance aspects of cross-border defence cooperation, consortium arrangements and international projects. The firm also follows developments affecting NATO-related defence industry cooperation, European defence initiatives and emerging international procurement and innovation frameworks.

Who We Assist

Our clients and counterparties across these sectors include defence contractors and subcontractors, aerospace manufacturers, airlines and aircraft operators, airports, MRO and aviation service providers, UAV and autonomous-system companies, satellite and space-technology businesses, electronics and semiconductor suppliers, advanced-material manufacturers, cybersecurity and AI companies, investors, insurers, logistics providers and other participants in regulated international supply chains. We assist both international businesses entering or expanding in Türkiye and Turkish companies developing cross-border operations and partnerships.

Selected Experience

Our experience includes advising international defence-sector manufacturers on Turkish regulatory, commercial and dispute matters; advising Turkish defence and technology companies on information technology, data protection and regulatory issues; and assessing sanctions and export-control risks affecting international transactions involving Türkiye. The firm also advises on cross-border partnerships, technology arrangements, supply relationships, compliance programmes and investigations in sectors where commercial objectives intersect with regulatory or national-security considerations.

Regulatory Access and Commercial Reach

Bıçak’s headquarters in Ankara and office in Istanbul provide a practical platform for matters extending between central regulatory and public authorities and Türkiye’s principal international commercial centre. This is particularly relevant in highly regulated sectors. Aviation matters may require direct interaction with SHGM in Ankara, while defence, export-control and other strategic-sector matters may involve engagement with central public institutions alongside commercial counterparties, investors and international partners.

Why Bıçak?

Bıçak’s defence, security, aerospace and aviation practice is built around the combination of sector knowledge, regulatory capability and cross-border legal experience. The firm’s work in sanctions and export controls, criminal and white-collar matters, cybersecurity, technology, commercial transactions and dispute resolution enables it to address problems that do not fit neatly within a single legal discipline. This multidisciplinary approach is particularly suited to industries in which commercial decisions are increasingly shaped by regulation, technology, international trade and national security.

Insights & Sector Intelligence

Bıçak regularly publishes analysis on legal and regulatory developments affecting defence, aerospace, aviation, sanctions, export controls, cybersecurity and international cooperation. Recent work includes analysis of international defence partnerships in Türkiye, the NATO Defence Industry Forum in Ankara, firearms-industry compliance, sanctions and export-control developments, and cybersecurity regulation in Türkiye. Through this combination of legal practice and sector-focused research, Bıçak supports clients in anticipating regulatory change, structuring international cooperation and managing risk in strategically sensitive industries.