Everybody agrees that Turkey has developed a considerable capability in defence industry. The healthy increase in the annual turnover figures, proliferation of exports, indigenous designs of communication equipment, unmanned air vehicles, battle ships, main battle tank, missiles…can be cited to prove this (www.sasad.org.tr). Subject of discussion today is the sufficiency of Turkish industry - technology base to support major platform integration programs in this endeavour. Technology per se does not win wars. But Nations always look for innovations that can offer them competitive advantages over their adversaries and innovation will always be a national security "wild card".

The defence technology base can be defined as "that combination of people, institutions, information, and skills that provides the technology used to develop and manufacture weapons and other defence systems. It rests on a dynamic, interactive network of laboratory facilities, commercial and defence industries, sub-tier component suppliers, venture capitalists, science and engineering professionals, communications systems, universities, data resources, and design and manufacturing know-how." (The Defense Technology Base: Introduction and Overview, Congress of the US, Technology Assesment Office,March 1988)