Latif Aral Aliş Re-elected as Chairman in the General Assembly Meeting of the Defence and Aerospace Industry Exporters Association (SSI)

Despite the fact that it is the youngest exporters association in Turkey, the Defence and Aerospace Industry Exporters Association (SSI) has drawn attention with its steady export growth. The SSI recently held its General Assembly meeting and aside from representatives of member firms, the Deputy Minister of National Defence Hasan Kemal Yardımcı, SSM Undersecretary Prof. Dr. Ismail Demir, SSI members, the incumbent chairman Latif Aral Aliş and many guests attended the meeting. 

Entering the election as the only candidate, Latif Aral Aliş was re-elected as chairman by 44 votes cast from among the 54 members of the General Assembly.  

After the results of the election were announced, Deputy Minister of National Defence Hasan Kemal Yardımcı in his remarks to the Assembly congratulated the newly elected board of directors. Stating that the Turkish defence industry had reached the point where it can meet its domestic needs, Yardımcı said, “I want to underline that the target from now on is overseas sales.”  In realising Turkey’s 2023 targets, the defence industry was a model said Yardımcı and added that he had complete faith in the industry. 

Ismail Demir, the Undersecretary for Defence Industries, said that they hoped to see the days when defence industry exports would go further from its present figures. Stating that the set export targets were ambitious, Demir made the assessment that, “We believe we can attain these targets together. In obtaining these targets, filling these figures with domestic content as much as possible is an important factor.” 

SSI Chairman, Latif Aral Aliş, indicated that as an association founded two and a half years ago it had reached an important size in a short time and said total exports of 600 million in 2008 had increased to 1,260 million in 2012 and reached 1.4 billion in 2013. Pointing out that they had entered 2014 in a rapid manner, Aliş continued his remarks by saying: “Our total exports in the first quarter of this year increased 20% compared to the first quarter of the previous year. We have become the industry with the largest increase in exports among all other industries. At the end of 2014, with a 40% increase compared to the previous year, we are aiming for exports of 2 billion USD. Our defence industry that is growing with intense R&D activities and investments in technology is now in a position where it exports a third of what it produces. Our objective is to further expand the geography we have reached and to be among the most important global suppliers in the global defence industry league. In this context, among the regions we have targeted in the period ahead, we have included the Far East and Asian countries. In a short time we should and we will increase our export performance five and even ten times… and our principal aim is 2023. In 2023 with exports of goods and services of 25 billion USD, our aim is to be among the global top ten and we will attain this target jointly, by working together.”  

Stating that preparations for a communications and marketing strategy plan that will lead the sector are continuing, Aliş said, “In order to introduce the Turkish defence industry overseas in an effective and productive manner, we have formed the defence and aerospace promotion group, the Turkish Defence Alliance (TDA). This promotion group will co-ordinate in an effective manner all domestic and overseas activities with relevant organisations and companies and will give priority in promotion, advertisement and communications; organise domestic and overseas fairs, trade and purchasing delegations; issue publications in introducing the sector and industry; support sectoral promotion projects and activities from members and undertake market research in order to identify strategies in the development of the sector.” 

Aliş mentioned that they planned to start as soon as possible a comprehensive promotion campaign on behalf of Turkey and said, “In line with this, in order to strengthen our promotion activities, we will soon start www.ida.gov.tr with a very wide coverage.” Stating that they had explained the Turkish defence industry to the Virginia trade delegation from the United States that came at the beginning of April and had conducted bilateral negotiations, Aliş further added that, “We will continue with organising mutual promotion and purchasing delegations that will create effective results such as this visit. In the period ahead, we believe that we will be successful at brand promotion with the Turquality Project that is aimed primarily at our target markets. Our companies and in particular our SMEs will more clearly identify their production road maps directed towards exports through the professional brand recognition support platform. We believe that our promotion group and the work it will carry out will be a tremendous opportunity for SMEs where they are located in well-defined areas in the system, in terms of a wide coverage of exports, is something we attach importance to. Among our short-term targets, the completion of the sector’s restructuring is a priority. By working jointly with SMEs, increasing the variety in our export market, raising the local rate in the domestic market; in short, integrated work with the supply industry are among our plans. In working jointly with SMEs an important gain we will obtain is the inventory work that will reveal the production potential of our country’s defence industry. With this work we will make it possible for those that are passive producers in a way to become activated.”