“Turkey will Become one of the Global Suppliers of Defence Industry”
Considering its recent investments and projects, Turkey has become one the most developed countries in respect to defence and aerospace industry. Defence and aerospace industry performing its activities within a limited area in Turkey not so long ago, has expanded into quite a big area and reached an important volume as of today. Turkish companies that are developing projects one after another are manufacturing products competing with the world and assuming major roles in international projects with their innovative approaches, experiences and qualities.
Turkish companies developing “Global Solutions for Local Needs” are conducting studies in the critical areas of defence and aerospace sector from indigenous design to domestic production, modernization to modification, R&D to international projects with their qualified human resource and high-technology infrastructure.
Aircraft and helicopter components, aircraft engines, armored land vehicles, vessels and speedboats, missile, rocket, launching platforms, light arms and ammunition, radio, electronic systems such as command control systems, simulators, sensors and application software, and logistic support products such as kitchen, field hospital, clothing material, uniforms, and engineering and technology transfer, modernization and modification services produced and/or developed by approximately one thousand companies including SMEs, research institutions and universities in Turkey are preferred worldwide. Currently, Turkish defence and aerospace industry is serving the security of more than 150 countries.
The Defence and Aerospace Industry Exporters’ Association (SSI) (www.ssi.gov.tr) (www.turkishdefenceindustry.gov.tr) was established to contribute to the worldwide promotion of the sector.
Gathering the exporters of the sector under its roof, SSI exerts effort in order to represent the defence and aerospace sector bearing strategic importance for Turkey in international markets and to increase the export potential of the country, and provides support to its members for training and foreign networks. While executing operations for directing the sector to export-oriented production, increasing R&D investments, cooperating with SMEs and emphasizing the high-tech products and know-how transfer to be the main export items on one hand, SSI identifies road maps for creating new markets for Turkish products on the other hand.
SSI has set its priority target for the defence and aerospace sector, which is promising for Turkey, developing continuously and is one of the driving forces of the technological development, to become capable of manufacturing export-oriented, high value added products, producing and exporting high technology.
R&D and innovation are compulsory for Turkish defence and aerospace sector to compete with the world brands. The sector allocates a substantial amount of resource and invests accordingly. Considering Turkey in general, the defence industry companies are on the top of the list of the companies that allocate and invest in human resource for technology, R&D and innovation.
Functioning as a bridge between the public and private sector, SSI aims to place Turkey and Turkish companies amongst the global suppliers of the sector. One of the most important instruments used by the Association in this end is promotion. Turkish Defence Alliance (TDA) (www.tda.gov.tr) established for the efficient worldwide promotion of Turkish defence sector has a prominent role in the realization of the aforesaid role. TDA performs activities in order to promote Turkish defence industry throughout the world and in every platform through fair participations, delegation organizations, visit programs, domestic and international commercial campaigns.
Turkey has also made significant progress on naval platforms in recent years. Turkish companies have realized projects which draw attention. Tens of projects are being conducted under amphibious vessel, auxiliary vessel, battleship and patrol vessel groups. Turkish companies develop modern battleship MILGEM, new type patrol vessel, fast intervention boat, amphibious landing ship, coast guard search & rescue boat, and assault boat.
Today, Turkey is amongst the most important defence centers of the world with its defence industry and aims to become one of the most important global suppliers that have the most powerful defence and aerospace industry within the next decade. As a country that initiates national combat aircraft project, produces training aircrafts, armored land vehicles, unmanned aerial vehicles, helicopters, missile and rocket systems, battleships, armored personnel carriers, infantry rifles, satellites, logistic support systems, and that designs simulations, software, communication systems, Turkey has the potential and power to reach this goal.
