Page 18 - Global Power Turkish Defence Industry

In this respect, Turkey’s overseas dependence has been significantly reduced through the provision
of these programs, which will prepare the TSK for the combative environment of the future, gain
competence in defence and security technologies and develop platforms and systems that will gain
technological superiority domestically. With primarily the Milgem Ship, the Altay Tank, the ATAK
Helicopter, the ANKA and Bayraktar Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, the Hürküş Training Aircraft, the Göktürk
1 Surveillance Satellite, the New Type Patrol Boats, Rapid Intervention Boats, National Infantry Rifle,
Mine Protected Vehicles and Air and Missile Defence Systems, many systems, subsystems and weapon
systems are the outcomes of projects that reduce dependency of the defence industry.
Within this framework, significant headway has been attained in the defence sector in the post-2006
period. The defence and aerospace sector worth $1.3 billion in 2002 reached $6 billion, defence and
aerospace exports reached $2 billion from $247 million and R&D expenditures went from $49 million to
$1,25 billion. In addition, three Turkish companies are among the top 100 defence industry companies
in the area of global defence and security.
The 10th Development Plan (2014-2018) calls for a competitive structure of the defence industry,
defence system and logistics needs to be met in an integrated and sustainable way by the country’s
industry based on indigenous design, civilian use of appropriate technologies, increase in the domestic
ratio and the share allocated for R&D as well as supporting networks and clustering structures in
specific areas of the defence industry. In keeping with the Development Plan, the 2017-2021 Strategic
Plan has identified the aim and targets of the SSM to, “manage by providing an integral approach
to ensure the sustainability of the defence industry by developing the capabilities of our country to
increase its power in defence and security areas through programs that will enable the sustainability
of the defence industry” in order to make “Turkey a global player in the defence and security field with
indigenous design and advanced technology capabilities.”
R&D ACTIVITIES

The mechanism required for the defence R&D projects to be initiated in a dynamic structure is
defined in Decree No. 2012/3738 of the Council of Ministers dated 7 October 2012. In this context, the
proposals submitted to the R&D Panel are evaluated by the representatives of the Undersecretariat,
representatives of the Turkish Armed Forces and personnel with expertise in various fields as members
of this Panel. Work on projects approved by the Panel starts with contracts signed with the approval
of the Undersecretary.

In identifying subjects presented to the R&D Panel, the R&D Project Road Map prepared and periodically
updated by the R&D Department is utilized.

18 TURKISH DEFENCE INDUSTRY