Defence and Aerospace Industry Manufacturers Association will be the Effective and Influential Voice of Defence and Aerospace
Defence Turkey: Mr Hüseyin Baysak, firstly we would like to thank you for your time. Could you please inform us on SaSAD’s new strategies and vision for its new era initiated with you? What kind of organizations will you plan as SaSAD in the coming period?
Our Association’s charter was amended by the decisions of General Assembly in 2012. With this amendment, also the real entities are allowed to become members in the Association along with the legal entities and the Board is restructured with 13 members enabling wider representation. At the 2nd Extraordinary General Assembly made in April 2012, the new Association Organs (Management, Audit and Disciplinary Committees) were selected. I was appointed by the Board as the new General Secretary as the successor of Kaya Yazgan. I took the office as a General Secretary in May 2012 together with Management, Audit and Disciplinary Committees. The "2013- 2017 Strategic Plan" preparation studies of our Association for have been finalized by the Advisory Committee. The Strategic Plan will be put into practice in the first months of 2013 after the approval of our Board.The mission of our Association was identified by the previous management as "To contribute in the development, strengthening and competitive capability of the Turkish Defence and Aerospace Industry". Within this scope, as our vision, I personally prefer to use "Being effective and influential voice of Defence, Aerospace, Space and Security Industries’ Manufacturers" until officially identified by our Board.
As per this scope, we have identified our activity fields as: to be a focal point for and provide expertise to our stakeholders as well as to those having requests at national and international sectors; to follow up closely the legislations and regulations and report on their impacts after analysis; to identify the sectorial status in terms of economical, legal and technical aspects in coordination with our members and submit it to the related authorities; to gather, analyse and publish the annual sectorial data; to take initiatives and carry out lobbying activities for the sectorial development and for facilitating the performances of sector players.
Within the frame of these activity fields, we have prepared our 2013 Activity Plan together with Advisory Committees and obtained the approval of the Board. We will be making great efforts in order to accomplish the activities taking part in our Activity Plan.
Defence Turkey: What are the activities being performed with the leadership of Undersecretariat for Defence Industries (SSM) for the development of cooperation between universities, research organizations, SMEs and defence industry companies as well as for ensuring technological deepening? What is the role of SaSAD on these studies?
We are planning and implementing activities to develop one-to-one contacts amongst the companies to ensure the development of cooperation between the companies with various sizes and competences taking part in our sector as well as the increase of sectorial deepening. With these implementations, we believe that we are facilitating the formation of Client – Main Contractor – Subcontractor pyramid. Within this scope, SaSAD, Bursa Chamber of Industry, Undersecretariat for Defence Industries (SSM) and Bursa Governorship organized an event in order to gather Bursa region manufacturers and SaSAD member manufacturers. We organized a similar organization for İzmir and Aegean Region Manufacturers in İzmir together with Aegean Region Chamber of Industry (EBSO) and SSM. The manufacturers taken part / to take part in each level of the supply pyramid had the opportunities to make face-to-face contacts and meetings at these events. SSM Undersecretary Murad Bayar and his team participated in these events and as always gave his support. Bursa Governor gave significant support and contribution for this successful organization. I would like to express our gratitude once more to our Undersecretary and Governor. The directors of the related Chambers of Industry were the architectures for success with their great efforts.
The events attracted the great deal of attention and were found satisfactory based on the surveys made at the end of the events. We will host Bursa and İzmir/Aegean manufacturers in Ankara in 2013 as a continuation of this activity. A similar organization is planned to be realized in another city in 2013.
S2B Project supported by Ankara Development Agency and which we participated and contributed with SSM was completed as of the year end.With this Project, where SaSAD members were actively involved, the cooperation between Health, Defence and IT sectors as well as the increase of national capabilities for meeting the health sector requirements are aimed.
Defence Turkey: Could you please assess R&D studies of SaSAD towards sectorial deepening?
One of the strategies of SaSAD is to organize conferences having special scientific interests with the universities in order to contribute to scientific infrastructure of the sector players. We organize SAVTEK Defence Technologies Congress biyearly with the Middle East Technical University (METU) and we successfully realized one in June 2012. We will be organizing USMOS – National Simulation and Modelling Congress with METU in 2013 and the related studies are being carried out. Besides, we as SaSAD plan to organize a Congress / Conference on one of the topics of national and sectorial interests at the end of 2013. We will also continue to support the projects such as Hacettepe Teknokent S2B Project and the development projects and will encourage the participation of our members to such projects.
Defence Turkey: What are your studies as SaSAD for your members to take part efficiently in export activities and international markets and in order for them to become one of the leading market players? What is your short term and long term roadmap in this field?
Firstly, we are trying to establish cooperation between organizations similar to our association. Within this context, the related MoUs were signed with Italy and UK Defence, Aerospace, Space and Security Organizations in 2011 and 2012. With these signed MoUs, we aim to liaise and develop cooperation between our members. We are planning to make a network study between the industrialists of the parties who will actively and largely participate in IDEX and IDEF fairs in 2013. Thus we intend to get a large industrialist group together and establish ways for cooperation.
One of our members, Ostim Defence and Aviation Cluster (OSSA), plans to organize an Industry Day where over 50 foreign companies and Turkish industrialists will participate, with the support of SSM in Ankara on 6-8 March 2013. We, as SaSAD, will be supporting this event as well. A contact platform will be established between sector players through this event.
In 2011, "Turkish Defence Industry towards 2023" themed sector search conference was held by the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB) and in 2012 "Decision Framing Workshop" was organized on the same topic. The outcomes of both events were submitted as reports to those interested parties. Besides, SaSAD participated in "Where and How Defence Industry is running?" themed sector search conference was held by the Defence and Aerospace Exporters Association on 11-12 December 2012 and actively participated in the medium and long terms strategy determination studies on this topic. Also, we are participating in fairs where a national participation by SSM is realized and performing Turkish defence industry promotion and market development studies.
Defence Turkey: What would you like to say on the members’ performances in export activities and international markets in 2012? Have we succeeded in our goals?
Global crisis seriously affected mainly the European countries and USA and as a result severe budget restrictions were imposed. Thus a recession in countries’ defence sector was encountered however a positive trend in homeland defence and civil aviation has emerged to some extent as a lifesaver for companies.
Our country’s defence and aerospace sector has been going through a successful year in parallel with the positive trend in general economy. As you know, sectorial data is gathered from sector players and analysed and reported by our association each year. Such study will be finalized as of the second month of the next year. However, the observations made to date indicate that there will again be successful and over achieving results in export activities.
Defence Turkey: We anticipate that Life Cycle Management and Performance Based Logistics topics according to 2012-2016 Strategic Plan prepared by the Undersecretariat for Defence Industries will often take part in Turkey’s agenda in the coming period. Do you plan to provide training support to the companies as SaSAD on these fields? Could you please share with us your studies related with this matter?
The players of the sector that we represent are aware of the fact that the studies within the scope of the integrated logistics support are the significant activity field in the near future for the sustainable defence sector development. This topic has become more actual in recent days while the indigenous products of these players are entering into the inventory of TAF. In order to increase awareness in "Life Cycle Management and Performance Based Logistics" especially amongst our SME members, we have included such a training program in one of our Advisory Committee’s 2013 Activity Plan. Such activities will be planned and implemented in accordance with the requirements of our members.
In addition, we will have lobbying activities with User and Project Management Authorities for the initiation of implementations at different levels based on the performance oriented logistics concept firstly for our indigenous products.
Defence Turkey: Mr Baysak, what are your medium - long term activities for leading to more competent and efficient SMEs in the defence industry as well as for sectorial deepening?
Within our Association, we have established "Advisory Committees" comprising our members’ experts for an efficient conduct of activities towards our members. One of them is for SME related activities and covers the activities such as the trainings on special topics (Quality System Applications, Resource Certification and etc.) for the development and improvement of SMEs, offers for the strengthening of financial structures (loan mechanisms, payment plans and etc.), information sharing meetings regarding incentives and public support packages, support on becoming Preferred Supplier / Strategic Partner, being a platform for SMEs to have voice in legislative regulations related with and affecting SMEs.
Defence Turkey: What are the activities being performed with NC3A working group?
One other Advisory Committee of our Association was established for this purpose. This Committee has been performing studies on giving required support to our members to introduce to AMSA and become at NAMSA’s supplier portfolio, informing our related members on NAMSA tenders and increasing awareness at NAMSA on Turkish Defence and Aerospace Industry capabilities by organizing visits. One of such visits was realized in 2010 with the participation of SSM Undersecretary and his team. Another visit program is taken part in 2013 Activity Plan.
Defence Turkey: Mr Baysak, would you like to make a final remark for Defence Turkey readers?
Firstly I want to thank you for this interview. 2013 will be another hectic and intense year for our sector. Some of the new products will enter into the inventory of TAF. IDEX, IDEF, LAAD and Thai Defence and Aviation Fairs will be the events where we will participate in nation wise and have the opportunity to exhibit our products and competencies in international platforms. I would like to take this occasion to celebrate all sector players’ New Year and wish them all a successful year.
