Business Communities of Defense Industry Gathered at the 3rd Project Market

The TSSK Project Fair event, held for the third time this year, took place at the Culture and Convention Centre (CCC) of ODTÜ on January 14, 2016. The companies of the Teknokent Defense Industry Cluster (TSSK), which is comprised of the defense industry companies of ODTÜ Teknokent and other techno parks in the region, came together at the TSSK Project Fair and discussed the possibilities of enhancing business development potential and realizing an active communication. The event was organized by ODTÜ, ODTÜ Teknokent, Industry Chamber of Ankara (ASO) and Defense Industry Manufacturers Association (SaSaD) under the auspices of the Undersecretariat for Defense Industries (SSM) and the support of the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TÜBİTAK). During the Project Fair, main contractors provided information about their goals on one hand, sub-contractor companies, research centers and researchers, on the other hand, provided the basis of cooperation for new projects and illustrating their competence and abilities after the presentations at the stands set up in the lounge of CCC ODTÜ where interested parties had the opportunity to meet them face to face.

Delivering the opening remark of the event, ODTÜ Rector Prof. Ahmet Acar said, “I personally attach great importance to this yearly gathering of the defense industry sector which is crucial for our country. The Project market event organized under the auspices of the Undersecretary for Defense Industries and with the cooperation of the Industry Chamber of Ankara contributes to the defense industry sector in respect of the cooperation among the companies and the collaboration between the university and industry”.

ODTÜ Rector additionally mentioned that the Researcher Training Program for the Defense Industry (SAYP) executed by ODTÜ and Aselsan, Roketsan, TAI, FNSS, MilSOFT and Havelsan was contributing to the ecosystem of the defense industry. Touching upon the important role of the academicians within the defense industry sector, Prof.Acar continued, “In my opinion the academicians specialized in this area also play important roles along with the companies and research centers within TSSK. Each contribution made to the defense industry sector and every research conducted in this area will constitute significant investments in the future of Turkey. Starting from this point, as ODTÜ we are willing to provide all kinds of support to the sector”. 

TSSK Chairman of the Board Mr. Fatih Ünal delivered the other opening speech of the event and said, “As TSSK we are successfully accomplishing the cluster activities. Within the TSSK, we are conducting our activities over 100 companies, 90 of which are SMEs. ODTÜ TSSK became one of the most important steppingstones of the defense industry with over hundred companies and a total of 2200 staff. According to the data of 2014, this cluster achieved a turnover of 500 million TL ($170 million), 90 million TL ($30,8 million) of which is from exports”. 

TSSK Chairman Mr. Fatih Ünal: “ODTÜ TSKK and OSSA Cooperation Protocol will increase the synergy”

Mr. Ünal mentioned that as TSSK they were executing various activities in order to maximize and diversify the synergy and cooperation, that they organized the TSSK Project market for gathering the TSSK members and enabled them to meet the other major actors of the sector and added that this year they launched the 3rd Project market. Underlining that they were additionally in close contact with the other cluster formations, Mr. Ünal continued, “Moreover, as TSSK we are closely cooperating with our sister cluster, the OSTİM Defense and Aviation Cluster – OSSA. Within this scope, we have been conducting negotiations for a long while for determining the cooperation process enabling the collaboration of these two structures that complemented each other in terms of production and R&D aspects. Today, as part of this event we will be launching this protocol on cooperation. We regard this cooperation protocol as an activity which will increase and reinforce the synergy and cooperation amongst the two parties. Therefore, we are conducting to discuss with the Aviation Cluster in Eskişehir (ESAC) and the Aviation and Space Cluster Association in İzmir for initiating similar cooperation protocols”. 

Dr. Celal Sami Tüfekçi: “Turkey has to focus on advanced technologies” 

Deputy Undersecretary for the Defense Industries Dr. Celal Sami Tüfekçi stated that Turkey allocated a resource over $1 billion to the R&D and continued, “We take great note of these expenses made in research and development. However, we also need to increase the quality of the R&D expenses as well; we should not oversight. We need to concentrate on more advanced technologies and for this we require more researchers and more qualified human resources. According to the figures of 2014, 30,500 people are employed in the sector and we could not claim that this amount is sufficient for a powerful country. In order to achieve the goals its ambitious 2023 vision, we need to increase the number of the researchers in particular. We took concrete steps to this end as the SSM. Within the context of Defense Industry Researcher Training Program, we stride towards the future along with over 10 universities and nearly 15 companies”. Stating that these researcher training programs were initiated in accordance with the medium and long term research development strategies of the companies and for supporting the guided projects conducted in priority areas identified by the Undersecretariat for Defense Industries, Dr.Tüfekçi added in the near term they would be launching a very similar version of this program which did not stipulate working at the companies. 

Dr. Tüfekçi also underlined that the studies for updating the industry participation off-set regulation with the credit and incentive mechanisms established for SMEs and sub-industry companies were being executed within the framework of the strategy plan of the Undersecretariat and added that they planned to announce this regulation quite soon. 

Following the speeches, the framework protocol regarding the principles of the cooperation between Teknokent Defense Industry Cluster (TSSK) and OSTIM Defense and Aviation Cluster Association (OSSA) was signed by TSSK Chairman Mr.Faith Ünal and OSSA Chairman Mr. Mithat Ertuğ.