İlker is Defence Insight Manager at Shephard Media. He has over ten years of experience in defence.

Prior to joining Shephard in July 2018, Ilker served as an officer in the Turkish Armed Forces, including overseas missions in Iraq and Washington DC. He has extensive experience in air defence specifically having been at various points: the Land Forces air defence liaison officer at  the Combined Air Operation Centre in Turkey, which commands all engagements; served as an air defence missile platoon commander; and as the air defence commander designing air defence architecture at Turkey's base in Iraq.

He holds an MA International Relations degree from War Studies Department at the King’s College London and BSc in Systems Engineering from Turkish Military Academy.