Speaking at the opening ceremony Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan indicating that with these deliveries we are witnessing an extremely important, historical day on behalf of our national defence said: “Meeting the defence system needs of our armed forces through local means has been one of our key priorities since the day we took office and will continue to be so. We know that developing our domestic industry, meeting the needs of our armed forces by domestic firms with indigenous products, and I especially want underline this, is a kind of struggle in our independence and future. For 12 years we have acted with this in mind. We believed in our local companies and the potential of our own people.  We started very critical, large-scale projects in every area to locally meet the defence requirements of Turkey and the modernisation of our army.  We signed off on important projects in land, air and sea platforms, UAVs, satellite technologies, electronic communication and information systems and in other areas. The projects we started are now bearing fruit.” Stressing that the Main Battle Tank “Altay,” National Corvette “MILGEM,” the MALE-Operative UAV, the Primary and Basic Trainer Aircraft “Hürkuş,” were only a few of the projects prepared by domestic means during the last few years, Prime Minister Erdoğan went on to add: “Today, we are adding another link in this chain of success. We are happy to have included our first helicopter to our armed forces with the “Atak” Project. Today, those who know the past of the “Atak” helicopter are a witness that arriving from those days to now was not very easy, that a very large effort was expended. We were destined to bring to life in a real sense this project and many other projects that were at a standstill for years. In the strategic decision we took in 2004 on this issue, we have today arrived at this point. The picture we are witnessing here together, show how correct, how appropriate our decision was.”

Stating that, “Including the mission computer many of the devices and equipment of the “Atak” helicopters were designed by Turkish engineers, Erdoğan said: “Our helicopters equipped with modern electronic and combat components, will, I believe, further strengthen us against the struggle with terrorism and in actions against our country’s integrity. In addition to this, our helicopters will be a deterrent against all attacks involving our borders and will contribute to securing an environment of peace. With the decision we adopted in May 2004, we commenced in identifying a new roadmap not only in producing a helicopter but in producing UAVs and modern tanks. Our Defence Industries Undersecretariat and the Land Forces Command (LFC) personnel undertook truly selfless work for our helicopter project. As a result of these efforts, we opened the tender in what can be considered a short period for such a large project. We signed the contract and began the calendar.”