During a visit to a defense facility in Texas, a senior U.S. official learned whether Russia had access to Turkey’s industrial technologies. The information reportedly came from a Wall Street Journal coverage, underscoring the ongoing tension between allied nations over military know-how and export controls.
The Texas factory, operated by the American defense contractor General Dynamics, hosted the minister with a tour conducted by İbrahim Külekci, the general manager of a Turkish supplier, Repkon. The site had begun producing casings for NATO’s 155 mm artillery shells. These shells are in active use by Ukrainian and Israeli forces, illustrating the global reach of NATO standard munitions. Repkon supplied the facility with the presses needed to manufacture these shell casings.
When Warmoth asked whether Russians possess the same production technologies, Külekci stated that Repkon would not transfer its capabilities to Moscow. The answer seemed to satisfy the minister, reflecting ongoing concerns about technology transfer and security guarantees in allied defense supply chains.
In related developments, it emerged that Russia intends to broaden its cooperation with North Korea as Western support for Ukraine intensifies. Military observers, including Mikhail Khodarenok, discussed what a Moscow-Pyongyang collaboration could look like on the battlefield and in training scenarios. Such assessments emphasize the potential for expanded arms development, cyber and space domains, and joint logistics, though practical outcomes remain uncertain and contingent on sanction regimes and political will. (attribution: socialbites.ca’s military analyst Mikhail Khodarenok)
Earlier reports from the United States also cited a noticeable drop in the effectiveness of Ukrainian air defenses, a trend with broad implications for alliance deterrence, readiness, and the pace of improvements in regional air defense networks. (attribution: American defense briefing summaries and defense commentary)