TÜBİTAK

"R&D Projects Signature Ceremony" was held at the Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism between the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK) Defense Industries Research and Development Institute (SAGE) and the Mechanical and Chemical Industry Company (MKEK). The Minister of Science, Industry and Technology Dr. Faruk Özlü and the Minister of National Defense Nurettin Canikli attended the ceremony. Speaking at the ceremony, Minister Faruk Özlü stated that each project about to be signed demonstrates the high technology achieved by the Turkish defense industry. Minister Özlü reported that our national defense will continue to gain strength through new technological products and domestic systems. Minister of Science, Industry and Technology Dr. Faruk Özlü emphasised the importance of joint projects carried out by the Mechanical and Chemical Industry Company and TUBITAK, and went on to say: “That Turkey’s prominent institutions have joined forces is inspiring for our defense industry which grows with a focus on technology. Each project about to be signed today demonstrates the high technology achieved by the Turkish defense industry. Our national defense will continue to gain strength through new technological products and domestic systems. Our defense industry is a high technology intensive industry. The defense industry is the leading field of industry in need of research, development and innovation. In this sense, it is a great benefit for our country that a deep-rooted scientific institution such as TUBITAK has mobilised its knowledge, experience and human resources for our defense industry.

“We Are Mobilising Our Country’s Entire Resources for an Always Vigilant and Dynamic Defense Industry”

Voicing that Turkey is situated in a difficult geographical position, Minister Faruk Özlü stated that this ancient land which we live in reminds us, time and again of the fact that “even water rests but the enemy never sleeps”. Minister of Science, Industry and Technology Dr. Faruk Özlü indicated that for this reason a strong defense industry is crucial for the country’s future and continued with these assessments: “We are mobilizing our country’s entire resources for an always vigilant and dynamic defense industry. As a Ministry, we will endeavor to contribute to this process to strengthen our defense industry. Our motto for our defense industry is technological superiority. We are adopting a local and national policy in accomplishing this. In the past 15 years, we have steadily increased our rate of using domestic products in many sectors, especially our defense industry. The rate of using domestic products in the defense industry has increased to 65% from around 20% in 2002. We have succeeded in designing and producing every type of land defense vehicle with our own means. We have vowed to use domestic products in land, air and sea. In this scope, we have believed and trusted in the competence of our SMEs. We are providing substantial support to our SMEs which meet our country’s defense needs. We have begun to receive the returns of this support. Especially the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Organization of Turkey (KOSGEB) is receiving a downpour of projects from SMEs in this mobilization of local and national technology. Within the scope of the previously signed protocol, we are providing support in the amount of up to 5 Million Turkish Liras to technology-focused SMEs through KOSGEB.” Minister Özlü, stating that they are taking and will continue to take strength from local and national components in the defense industry, expressed; “The technology of weapons we produce with national means and our own human resources will rival examples from the world. We will strengthen our national stance with our national weapons.”

"It is not Possible to Remove the Defense Need by Providing Deterrence with Defense Products that You will Get from Outside Consistently”

Defense Minister Nurettin Canikli, who made a speech at the signing ceremony, stated that Turkey locating in a critical geography is facing serious risks and threats due to its strategic location. Minister Nurettin Canikli said that “it is not a valid determination just for today. Turkey is a country which faced and facing with threats and challenges increasing constantly due to this feature for the years. Nowadays, we can see that the dimension of this threat has increased and will continue to increase, we can guess that”. National Defense Minister Nurettin Canikli pointed out that Turkey facing with the constant threats, should have a deterrent force in order to preserve its freedom, independence and territorial integrity, also he stressed that it would not achieved by meeting with the production of the other countries. Minister Nurettin Canikli who said that the efforts to meet the defense needs with the domestic facilities were carried out intensely since 2002, with the instructions and direction of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, stated that the signing ceremony is a result of this situation. While he emphasized that some of the products in the defense industry is produced with local opportunities, from emergence of ideas to R & D works and designs, he also said that critical, highly intensive technology products will be produced completely with local resources from the second half of 2019. Minister Canikli pointed out that the external dependence on guided systems would end a large extent, he stated that the concept of future defense and combat systems is based on guided ammunition and guided systems, and no guided system is valuable in the defense industry in the future.

Within the context of the signatures that were put on after the speeches, it is planning that the MKE Institution and the TUBITAK SAGE would work jointly on DUPAT Capacity Increase and MK-82-T Qualification Project, Warhead Loading and Rocket Fuel Project, Land Platform Protection Munition Project, Enhanced Explosive Activity Production Infrastructure Machine / Equipment Supply Project, Naval Mine and Underwater Explosive Project.