Turkey to Build Ammunition Plant in Kosovo, Expanding Strategic Footprint in the Balkans

Türkiye’s state-owned defense manufacturer MKE has signed an agreement to construct a turnkey ammunition production facility in Kosovo, underscoring Ankara’s growing influence in the Balkan defense landscape.

The project, expected to be completed in 2026, will have an annual output of 20 million cartridges, according to Turkish media reports. The facility will include full production capabilities — from case and bullet manufacturing machineryto loading lines, testing laboratories, and quality-control systems. MKE engineers will also train Kosovo’s technical staff, providing operational know-how, maintenance guidance, and technology transfer.

The initiative follows Kosovo’s acquisition of thousands of Turkish-made Skydagger kamikaze drones from Baykar earlier this month, deepening the two nations’ defense cooperation. Kosovo also operates Bayraktar TB2 armed drones, purchased in 2023, marking a steady build-up of its indigenous defense capability.

Kosovo’s Prime Minister Albin Kurti has repeatedly pushed for defense self-sufficiency amid rising tensions with Serbia. The ammunition plant — Kosovo’s first — aligns with his vision to establish domestic arms production and a drone design laboratory.

For Türkiye, the move expands MKE’s global footprint. The company has recently delivered similar facilities in Jordan and Mongolia and is currently negotiating with eight other countries to establish new munitions and weapons assembly plants.

The deal also illustrates Ankara’s dual-track diplomacy in the Balkans — balancing close ties with both Kosovo and Serbia. Despite Belgrade’s criticism of Kosovo’s drone purchases, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic later softened his tone, calling President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan “a great leader” and expressing interest in acquiring Turkish Bayraktar systems.

With the ammunition plant in Kosovo, Türkiye cements its position as a key defense partner for emerging European militaries, using technology partnerships and industrial cooperation to expand its geopolitical reach across the Balkans and beyond.