Aselsan Strengthens its Position Among Global Players
Aselsan Radar and Electronic Warfare Center one of the most important investments of Turkey and which was opened by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and started its activity officially on the date March 2015 hosted the defence industry press reporters among which Defence Turkey magazine was also present on the month of April. While various information on the programs executed, the investments, export activities, and the targets of Aselsan were communicated to the members of the press during the first part of the press conference hosted by the General Manager of Aselsan, Dr.Faik Eken, the products that will be showcasing in IDEF 2015 and the companies product portfolio were introduced during the second part of the press tour.
During the first session of the press conference, while Aselsan General Manager Dr.Faik Eken gave information on the growth trend of Aselsan during the period between the years 1997-2014 said that Aselsan is in a continuous growth trend for almost 11-12 years since 2003, and that they have increased their sales domestic and abroad considerably. Dr.Eken said, “We can see that the export share has increased during the last years to the extent that may be felt. The export ratio in the total sales has increased to above 20%’s. During the previous years, the export figures in the 10%’s levels has exceeded 20%’s in the last 3 years but we still do not see it as adequate, we need to increase these figures further up. We want to carry this ratio from the 20%’s level to 30%’s level within the next five years. We have a crucial effort in this topic as well”.
Aselsan raised the gear in sales abroad during 2012-2014
When Aselsan’s export income between the years 2012-2014 is evaluated in comparison to previous years; while the company’s total sales in 2012 was $634 million, it is seen that this figure reached $746 million in 2013, $815 million in 2014. During the last three year period while the ratio of sales abroad in total sales increased to the 21% levels on the average, Aselsan earned export incomes of $175 million in 2012, $214 million in 2013, and $212 million in 2014. Aselsan ranking on the 67th line in the Defence News Top 100 list announced in 2014 seems quite assertive in the case of climbing up to higher ranks and being among the first 50 companies.
Dr. Faik Eken underlining that Aselsan has an important target like being among the first 50 industry companies in the coming years expressed that especially the decline lived in the European company’s made them hopeful. But Dr.Eken saying that only this declining trend faced by the competing company’s would not be adequate for them to enter among the first 50 , and that, political relationships are also effective in the export sales between countries said, “Exports in the defence field, trade among countries depend on very good relations. Our political relationships should develop so that we will be able to catch the opportunities”.
$157 million was invested for Aselsan Radar and Electronic Warfare Center
Aselsan General Manager Dr.Faik Eken specifying that the growth trends are not limited only to figures as Aselsan, but that they are also continuing to invest domestically as well, added that they have added the REHIS Business Sector in Gölbaşı next to their facilities in Macunköy and Akyurt recently, and that they had signatures in many investments for Turkey. Related to the facility, Dr.Faik Eken said, “This facility has a closed area of 75. 000 square meters, established on a land of 350 acres, we have four towers in the plant; these towers are designed especially to perform the open air tests of antenna, radar communication systems. Consequently we will be able to perform many validation tests in this facility. Our facility consists of three floors; the production area is mainly on the entrance floor where we stand. The production panel, clean rooms, electronic production division is positioned on this floor. The 2nd floor is completely spared for our design division. Nearly a $157 million investment is made for the facility. $70 million out of this was spent for construction, $87 million were also spent on different equipment and infrastructures built in the facility. We must say that we gained very important enlarged and magnified microwave module production capability with this facility. We achieved very vast microwave module production ability in clean rooms. We think that this facility is one of the first biggest 2nd or 3rd plant in Europe. We became one of those numerated facilities that can make microwave production in the world”.
The Facility of Aselsan Gölbaşı Radar and Electronic Warfare Technology Center, will be realizing the design, production, test and logistic support of primarily the long range air and missile defence radars as well as Fighter aircraft radars, all kinds of radars and electronic warfare systems and antennas, microwave composite module and software products needed in the military and civil areas under the scope of the needs of the Turkish Armed Forces.
Dr. Faik Eken: Aselsan Radar and Warfare Technology Center 2015 Goal-goal is $300 million
Dr. Faik Eken stating that this facility will undertake important tasks among the future tasks of Aselsan said, “Currently more than a 1000 personnel is working in this facility. Out of these personnel, a total of 776 are engineers and out of these engineers 619 are related only with designing, working only on new products, developing new systems. We have a very talented team where 387 of them have MSC, and 40 of them have PhDs. When we look at the figures, Aselsan is currently executing 63 projects. The numerical size of these projects is at the $930 million levels and in the year 2015, our delivery target is $1,2 billion. In other words, the share of this facility in this REHIS business sector is approximately $300 million. In the year 2015, Aselsan will be providing one fourth of its production and sales from this facility”.
Aselsan is establishing radio factory in Saudi Arabia
Dr.Faik Esen giving important explanations on the future term export strategies said, “As Aselsan we have three basic fields of activities. Our first strategic aim is that we want to provide the needs of our Turkish Armed Forces without being dependent abroad. Therefore we always consider this aim in the first place. Exports comprise our second priority area. We can say that our export strategy is built on technology sharing strategy rather than equipment supply. In those countries we went, we say that we can share technology besides direct supply, we ask what we could produce or along with some of your needs how can we develop with their corporation? For example we developed software in Saudi Arabia. As you know, we were trying to sell radios to Saudi Arabia for years. There is a domination of especially French radios in Saudi Arabia and they also have a factory established in the country for this objective. We developed such a strategy to be able to enter this market; we made a R&D activity with one of the important research corporations of Saudi Arabia. We made an agreement on the matter of developing software about a communication solution special for the Saudis on our radios. We showed them the way, they sent a team, worked with our engineers, and developed their own special software on our radios. When the tests performed were successful, our radios started to be seen as their own national radios and later they decided to continue with us. Let’s establish a factory in addition to their existing factory and Aselsan shall establish this factory was the way it was decided. Now we are establishing a factory in Riyadh and we aim to open this factory within the year 2015. The factory of the French producing radios will be working for us as a subcontractor. Consequently, we formed our basic strategy on the adoption of the product by performing the technology development together with the domestic partners, state corporations. By performing this type of technologic sharing abroad, we are trying to promote the advantage of firms developing, producing together”.
Dr. Faik Eken stating that the third target that Aselsan determined for exports is the sectors other than the defence industry gives the first signals that Aselsan will be making important attacks in the coming period.
Dr. Eken underlining that they will increase the investments directed towards rail transport, electrical vehicle, telecommunication, mobile communication, traffic systems and automation systems said; “Our activities oriented to the provision of the needs of the Turkish Armed Forces are continuing in a programmed manner. But, we think that our sales in areas developing outside the defence and security will also gain importance in the coming years. From this aspect, we need to invest in those sectors in which we are trying to enter. However we need to be patient a little because we want to be in these sectors with indigenous products. These 3 elements will certainly be effective in our growth strategy, it is not easy to know what the ratios will be now, but we are working”.
Dr. Eken evaluating the NATO allied their marketing studies in the European and South America markets said, “We could not be very effective in the NATO market until now. We think that we need to develop this. Apart from that until last years a threat perception was decreased in Europe but now it can change. Other than this, we are trying to increase our activities in South America. We made Mobile Border Security Systems exports to Uruguay. Other than this, there are projects that we are following, primarily electronic Warfare, in Chile. We are struggling to develop our activities in the South America. Similarly, we see South Africa among the potential countries. We have a small unit there, too. We have a target like developing that unit some more and making it a company that can be present in some projects both in South Africa and in neighboring countries. In other words, South Africa is among our target countries too.”
Dr. Faik Eken: “We wish to make Indigenous Long Range Air and Missile Defence Systems”
Dr. Faik Eken saying that they provided support to the studies continuing under the coordination of Undersecretariat for Defence Industires (SSM) in the Turkish Long-Range Air and Missile Defence Systems (T-LORAMIDS) program as Aselsan, said, “We are also in this activity. This is a negotiation process; it has different functions and alternatives. What can we do in here? Where can we achieve indigenous technology? Where can we increase the technological contribution? We are also giving support to these efforts. We are trying to produce alternative solutions that can provide technologic contribution. These studies are coordinated by SSM; of course the Turkish Armed Forces will do the final evaluation of this together with the SSM. We also have an activity in preparation, concurrent with this program for the initiation of an Indigenous Long-Range Air and Missile Defence Programme in the longer run and oriented for the future”. Dr. Eken stating that they want the systems to be developed nationally to have more developed capabilities in comparison to a readily purchased system, said that they wish to work with Roketsan in this subject and that they wish to start this long-term project immediately.
Aselsan General Manager saying they have achieved important stages in the Low and Medium Altitude Air Defence Missile Systems (Hisar-A and Hisar-O), said that they have been working on the Low and Medium Altitude Air Defence Missile Systems as Aselsan and Roketsan for 3 years and that they have made important achievements for Turkey. Stating that they are planning to reflect the information accumulation they have gathered from this program into the Indigenous Long-Range Air Defence Missile Systems, Dr. Eken continued his words as such; “We determined a target that we will provide the long range Air and Missile Radar. Our team are working on this subject. This was not something that was thought much of 4 years ago. We have made a long way when one looks at it. The start of the Hisar Project provided accumulation for us and made us feel more secure. These capabilities are encouraging us. However, we have to put forward, explain, and convince this capability so that decision makers can reach a right decision. As the industry is on one side of the business there is also the user on the other side. Their operational needs are very important”.
After the press conference where various topics were discussed Aselsan General Manager Dr. Faik Eken conducted the press members in the facility and communicated various information about the products that they have developed.
ÇAFRAD Programme is in progress
Dr. Eken stating that they are getting ready to promote all their capabilities at the IDEF 2015, first gave information on the topic of “Hisar” Low and Medium Altitude Air Defence Missile systems search and tracking radars during the factory tour. Aselsan General Manager making important comments on the Multifunction Phased Array Radar System ÇAFRAD, planned to be the main sensor of the Anti-Air Warfare Frigates (TF-2000) program said, “Our ÇAFRAD development programme is in progress. Moreover we are making a missile tracking radar of American origin for marine platforms. In the coming period, we will develop the long range track radar for this as well. Later on, there will be a complete air defence systems for the TF-2000 Anti-Air Warfare Frigates”.
Saying that they are making all kinds of antennas as Aselsan themselves, Dr. Eken communicated that they have important test capabilities in this subject. Dr.Eken said; “We can perform all kinds of tests in our anechoic chambers. Moreover, we have test towers outside of our facility. We can perform all kinds of tests there too”.
Helicopter Electronic Warfare Self Protection System will be used in “Atak” and Turkish Utility Helicopters
Dr. Eken communicating information on another product that they will be displaying at IDEF 15, Helicopter Electronic Warfare Self Protect System subject, said that the tests of the system are completed and that it is qualified, and that they applied it to two helicopters and verified the system. Later, Dr. Eken continued as such; “There are precautions and radar reminder devices on the system both for radars, heat, and for laser-guided missiles. We designed the antennas. Moreover we also designed the RF jamming, laser and missile warning receivers too.” Aselsan General Manager mentioning that this system will be applied to the 250 helicopters in the inventory of the Turkish Armed Forces said; “We will use the Electronic Warfare Self Protection systems in Atak and Turkish Utility helicopters as well”.
Altay MBT to equipped with AKKOR Active Protection System
Dr.Eken giving information that was not reflected to the press before on the AKKOR active protection system developed for Altay MBT (Main Battle Tank) said that they developed a system detecting anti-tank missiles with the four radars placed on top of the tank and that they have hit this missile with ammunition developed by TÜBİTAK –Sage. Dr.Eken said; “We hit the ammunitions shot from the LAW (Light Anti-Tank Weapon) in the tests made under this scope. There is not a signed agreement at the moment. Discussions with the SSM are continuing. The first application to be used in “Altay” MBT is planned but there is not a signed agreement yet. Nevertheless, we made our preparations as if we will start at any moment”.
Aselsan to unveil new technologies at the IDEF 2015
Aselsan will display a wide range of products from Air Defence Systems to Border Security Systems, from Marine Systems to Electro- Optic Systems, from Communication Systems to Radar and Electronic Warfare Systems, from Guided and Navigation Systems to Avionic Systems at the IDEF 2015 in its 2.200 square meter area. Aselsan will also showcase its newly developed TORK Torpedoes Counter Measure System, Hybrid Laser and Missile Weapon System as well as Air Defence Ammunition with 35mm Airbust Ammunition for the first time at IDEF 2015.
Moreover, new products in a very wide spectrum among which Stabilized Gun Systems integrated on to the land platform, Guidance Systems in Air Force inventories, as well as Submarine Acoustic Systems are included, will be presented to the appreciation of the TAF and allied countries.
Many Aselsan products/systems among which Mobile Border Security Systems exported to Uruguay in the close period, HF Radios with TESİD Reward, and 3 Dimension Mobile Search Radar as well as Fire Control Radar, Identification Friend-or-Foe and Recognition System and Patrol and Facility Security solutions are included, can be seen at IDEF 2015.
