Middle East Technical University (METU) technology park, ODTÜ Teknokent hosts approximately 137 defense industry companies conducting R&D and has clustered them into the Teknokent Defense Industry Cluster (TSSK) as of 2010. These companies have complementary vertical expertise that provide added value to each other’s capability and are developing new technology products and services for defense and security. 

The cluster aims to provide added value to generate more synergy and cooperation among its members, with universities for applied research in the defense sector, and with major contractors. The ultimate goals are to fulfill the requirements of the Turkish Armed Forces and to position the Turkish defense industry as a significant player in the world market through high technology solutions, products and services that are presented to the international market. 

TSSK is comprised of SMEs operating in the fields of manned and unmanned vehicles; advanced materials, CBRN technologies, protective vehicle and material technologies; human-machine interface; cryptography, coding and encryption, electronic intelligence systems; modeling and simulation, simulation systems; communication, electronic and information systems; sensors and electronic systems, dataLink technologies as well as the various related engineering services such as testing, calibration, modeling and maintenance. The driving force of the cluster is the R&D projects that are stimulated by the synergy between university, industry and research. The cluster members employ around 2,500 R&D personnel and at any snapshot in time, around 550 active R&D projects are being conducted for the defense industry by the members of TSSK.