HENSOLDT Aims to Increase the Global Market Share with Turkish Key Players

Defence Turkey: Mr. Gould, HENSOLDT has had a presence in our region for a couple of years. What are your references in Turkey?

Russell GOULD: I am afraid I have to correct you: With our predecessor companies – such as Kelvin Hughes, Airbus or Carl Zeiss - HENSOLDT has been represented in the region for decades. Today, HENSOLDT is a trusted, well-known partner of military and security forces throughout the region, in particular in the area of surveillance and reconnaissance. 

Defence Turkey: HENSOLDT has its main activities in Europe and South Africa. Do you intend to cooperate with local industries?

Russell GOULD:  Absolutely! We are pursuing a dedicated cooperation strategy with regards to industries in the region and are in close contact with several companies discussing local research & development or local production. I see a very promising potential in this cooperation! As we are working this way already in other regions, e.g., in East Asia, we have the experience that is needed to make such a cooperation an advantage for both sides.

Defence Turkey: What are your main references in Turkey?

Russell GOULD: Our main customers are Turkish defense industry giants like ASELSAN, TUSAŞ, STM, BMC and BAYKAR. We have diverse business relationship with these key players addressing not only Turkish market but also the countries where these companies are active.

Defence Turkey: What are in your view the technological trends that are shaping the market currently?

Russell GOULD: We should distinguish between general trends evolving all over the world and developments linked to specific regional conditions. In this perspective, we have identified three general trends which we are covering in our research and development activities: digitalization and automation, processing big data and cyber security. For example, we are working to equip networked sensors with artificial intelligence to enable them to learn by themselves. Another example might be the combination of sensor data with information from other sources to establish a comprehensive situation picture. With regards to customer requirements in Turkey, we see a growing need for the collaboration especially regarding international projects outside Turkey