ASFAT GM Mustafa İLBAŞ: "We Take Pride in Once Again Dedicating Our Years of Experience in Ship Projects to the Turkish Nation and the Turkish Navy"

Military Factory and Shipyard Management Inc. (ASFAT) General Manager Mustafa İLBAŞ provided information on his impressions of the fair, the products on display, and the company's ongoing projects during a press conference held at the ASFAT booth on July 25, 2025.

Stating that IDEF '25 was much more enthusiastic and successful than the previous 16 IDEF Fairs, İLBAŞ noted that participation from abroad was particularly high this year, adding: "Like all defence industry companies, we at ASFAT are experiencing the pride and joy of this. Of course, this demonstrates the level reached by the defence industry and the Republic of Türkiye. This fills us with pride as the Turkish nation."

Explaining that ASFAT, a state-owned company with the authority, capability, and means to utilize and operate 27 military factories and 10 military shipyards, is actually a relatively new company celebrating its 7th year, İLBAŞ said: "However, behind it lies nearly 100 years of accumulation from military factories. It carries the years of accumulation from military shipyards, feels it behind us, and as a company that utilizes this power and capacity, as you know, we quickly rose to the 94th position among the world's top 100 companies. We have achieved the success of ranking in the top three in Türkiye. We are the youngest company."

Recalling that they hosted thousands of visitors, dozens of ministers, and delegations from abroad at their booth during the IDEF Fair, İLBAŞ emphasized that they signed numerous contracts and agreements during the fair, stating: "We signed 38 agreements at the fair and continue to do so. Some of these are sales contracts. In addition, we have supply contracts, collaboration protocols—especially with universities regarding education and scientific studies—and various protocols with Türkiye's leading private companies, and these are ongoing." Drawing attention to the fact that they were the company that signed the largest agreements in terms of volume at the fair, İLBAŞ shared the following details about the agreements they signed: "As you know, two days ago, we signed our four Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) Projects with the Secretariat of Defence Industries (SSB). This project is one of the largest projects signed during IDEF. And on the same day, we signed the agreement for our TF-2000 Project. The TF-2000 Project is what we can call Türkiye's flagship project. It is very important. We are now signing Phase 2 of it. We were already doing Phase 1. The TF-2000 Project is a 150-meter-long ship. We are talking about an air defence destroyer. Therefore, we are talking about a ship that will serve as the flagship in our Navy. Dear friends, for the four OPVs, we will actually build numbers 7, 8, 9, and 10. And as you know, OPVs 1 and 2 were also built under ASFAT's supervision as the main contractor with our shipyards. And we will deliver them soon. Because we have this experience, the ones in between—3, 4, 5, and 6—were also built at our private shipyards. But now, we at ASFAT have once again taken on the responsibility and duty of building Offshore Patrol Vessels numbers 7, 8, 9, and 10. We will successfully complete these in their new versions and deliver them to the Turkish Navy in the best way. As ASFAT, we are involved in many projects on maritime platforms, including MILGEM. We take pride in dedicating our years of experience in ship projects once again to the Turkish Nation and the Turkish Navy."

Explaining that they are also working on new projects and products in land platforms, İLBAŞ said: "At the forefront of these is our 8x8 tactical wheeled vehicle that fires 155 mm ammunition same as the Panter Howitzer. Its name is ARPAN; as you know, it's in the showroom outside—everyone saw it, you saw it too. This 8x8 tactical wheeled 155 mm vehicle is actually similar to the FIRTINA Howitzer. It is a wheeled version rather than tracked, and it has very important features in terms of both speed and mobility. The project incorporates the 360° rotating turret, the fire control system made by ASELSAN, the vehicle platform by BMC, and the MKE gun, assembled in our military factories. This project is valuable." İLBAŞ also stated that they introduced a six-barreled minigun weapon. Prototype production has begun, and the weapon system will be produced in military factories. İLBAŞ touched on the A400M Retrofit Project as an example of the projects they are carrying out in the air platforms field. Reminding that the world's second retrofit center for A400M aircraft is located in Kayseri, İLBAŞ said: "Our activities there continue. We are working in close collaboration with the Turkish Air Force, we have very serious collaborations both domestically and internationally, including flight training."

Following his speech, ASFAT General Manager Mustafa İLBAŞ responded to our question in the Q&A session regarding whether the news circulating in the press about the first two OPVs being sold to Romania is true, "We are not the source of that news, and we suspect it's not from the official Romanian delegation either. Because we are talking with them. We have good relations with Romania. We have discussions on this matter as well. They are going very well. Hopefully, we will receive good news. As a company tasked with producing solutions for all friendly and allied countries, our neighbors—Romania is one of our very valuable neighboring countries. Our relations are quite good. There will be collaborations on this. Hopefully, these will expand to other countries as well. Thank you"