Defense Executive Committee Decision Announced by Prime Minister
Following the Defense Industry Executive Committee (SSIK) Meeting held at the Undersecretariat for Defense Industries (SSM) premises, Prime Minister Prof. Ahmet Davutoğlu made a press meeting with the participation of Chief of General Staff General Hulusi Akar, Minister of National Defense Mr İsmet Yılmaz, Deputy Minister Mr. Şuay Alpay and Undersecretary for Defense Industries Prof. İsmail Demir and shared, the issues that had been discussed throughout the meeting with the public. Prof. Davutoğlu said, “This Defense Industry Executive Meeting was of special importance due to the increase of security risks around Turkey and the new dimension of the terrorist threats within the country. We have taken many projects into consideration to this end and reached certain decisions. I would like to share them in headlines with you and therefore with the public. First of all, within the scope of the changing security risks and threat definitions, we decided to pave the way for a new strategic base for the structuring of the Defense Industry. Our Defense Industry Executive Committee will be completing its preparations and we are planning to gather the Defense Industry Coordination Board in either April or May this year, then within the perspective we adopt here, we will be gradually holding meetings for assessing the issue with the experts. We are also planning to organize a defense industry council composed of all the shareholders of the sector towards the end of this year. In order to nationalize Turkey’s defense industry and for reducing its foreign dependency, we will go through a structuring in which all measures involving all the shareholders are adopted. Within this scope, by developing a new political and military concept, we will be examining the measures to be adopted through a wide perspective for the protection and survival of our Republic and our state, for our nation’s peace and security in the upcoming period as well as within the future decades. We will be following a two-way path to this end. Taking the urgent requirements into consideration, we will be maintaining the procurements within the procurement capabilities while we focus on domestic production to increase the rate of indigenousness of the defense industry in the medium and long run. Therefore, as we fulfill the urgent requirements, we will also take the development of the domestic defense industry into consideration in the medium and long term.”
Launch of Program Valued at $ 5.9 Billion
Emphasizing the approval of the $5.9 billion project at the SSIK meeting, Prime Minister Prof. Davutoğlu continued, “We have approved $ 5.9 worth of new projects. $ 4.5 billion of this will be allocated to domestic production, this process will without a doubt speed up our industry’s production.”
Stating that they have also revised the developments regarding the Joint Strike Fighter program, Prime Minister Prof. Davutoğlu additionally mentioned that the call on indigenous development adopted in last November regarding the Turkish Long Range Air and Defense Missile Program has also come to the agenda during the meeting. “We launched the Indigenous Long Range Air Defense Program as per our last decision. A detailed presentation was made on the solid steps taken to this end and on the negotiations with the shareholders. This program will be conducted resolutely and uninterruptedly as it bears vital importance for us. It will always remain on top of our agenda”, said Prof. Davutoğlu.
17 “Atak” Helicopters to be delivered in 2016
Prof. Davutoğlu stated that the production of the Smart Munition subject was emerging as a crucial requirement as part of the fight against terrorism and instabilities in the surrounding countries was also evaluated during the meeting and that the progress achieved was pleasing, Prof. Davutoğlu added that they were about to launch a very important program for rendering the engines of the “Atak” helicopters completely indigenous.
Relaying valuable information on the delivery of the new configurations of Atak helicopters and regarding other topics of the agenda, Prof. Davutoğlu continued his speech: “Atak Helicopters made great headway. “10 “Atak” Helicopters were delivered to our force in 2015 and 17 more “Atak” Helicopters will be included to our fleet. One of the special topics in the agenda of the Defense Industry Executive Committee is of course the fight against terrorism. Within this context, we discussed the requirements regarding the intra-state and cross-border operations and adopted important resolutions. We accomplished the required assignments for rapidly fulfilling the urgent demands of our National Police, National Security Organization, Armed Forces, Land Forces Command, Gendarmerie General Command in an uninterrupted manner. On the other hand, I would like to add that we entered an important stage in the manufacturing of Armed Drones. The UAV systems are greatly contributing to our armed forces as important instruments in the fight against terrorism. In the development stage of the UAV systems; our sector no longer requires any foreign equipment support in respect to the technologic hardware. We believe that this development indicates the stage our industry reached. We evaluated the procurement and production of the equipment necessary for the detection and mines disposal and improvised explosives as well. Besides, significant decisions have been reached on the extension and efficient utilization of MOBESE (Urban Safety Management System) systems”.
Prime Minister Prof. Davutoğlu also underlined that all of Turkey’s urgent requirements as part of the external terrorist threats and fight against terrorism were being handled without any bottlenecks regarding resources and added that solid steps will be taken immediately for accomplishing all necessary procurements. Prof. Davutoğlu mentioned that Turkey will be building a new defense industry concept and strategy with its indigenous products and emphasized that the country will now reach a defense industry infrastructure that has secured Turkey’s future.
Prime Minister Davutoğlu: “Defense Industry Exports increased 35% in the first two months of 2016”
Mentioning that Defense Industry’s performance gained impetus in the first two months of 2016, Prof. Davutoğlu expressed that this achievement encouraged them and added that compared to last year, defense industry exports increased by 35% in January and February 2016.
Following these first data shared by Prime Minister Prof. Davutoğlu on defense industry exports, Turkish Exporters’ Assembly (TİM) announced the data of the first two months of the year. According to this data, the defense and aerospace industry continued its stable growth and success in exports, as reached in previous years, in 2016 as well. The sector achieved $ 118,6 million in this January and in February worth $137,2 million in exports. The total exports in the defense and aerospace sectors in the first two months of this year reached a total of $ 255,8 million. The sectors’ export income last year for the same period was $196,4 million. Compared with the previous year’s data, the total amount of defense industry export for the first two months of 2016 increased by 30.3%.
