Defence Turkey: Can we start our interview with a brief history of the 2nd Air Maintenance Factory Directorate (2nd AMFD), which dates back to 1926? 

Brig. Gen. Haldun TAŞAN: One of the first steps taken for the development of Turkish industry in the first years of the Republic was establishing an aircraft factory in Kayseri. Our factory was built on the foundations laid on an empty area with materials transported from Mersin Port by sea and overland by mules. As Turkey's first aircraft factory, it was established in 1926 under "Aircraft Factory" with the partnership of the Turkish Aeroplane League and German Junkers Company. Five engineers and 120 German and 240 Turkish workers started to work at the facility during its establishment. In about ten years, license agreements were signed with companies from Germany, the USA, England, and Poland, and a total of 134 aircraft in 5 different types and 50 gliders were manufactured. With the cooperation established at that time, the production of "Fighter Aircraft" was also started. German Junkers aircraft and Curtiss Hawk are the best examples of these collaborations. In addition, Depot-Level Maintenance and Repair of 24 different aircraft types and overhauls of 14 types of engines were carried out between 1937 and 1947. Our factory has been operating under the name of the 2nd Air Maintenance Factory Directorate since the organizational change in 2017.