Turkish defense industry's domestic production increasing
Murad Bayar, the head of the Undersecretariat for the Defense Industry (SSM), said Turkey's defense industry had risen to significant levels and that a large amount of important equipment would be produced domestically in two or three years.
Turkey's technological capabilities were high and that skilled engineers coming out of universities were talented, said Bayar in an interview with the Anatolia news agency.
“Defense industrialists are now looking for engineers with Ph.D.s," he said. Bayar said the main purpose of the SSM was to meet the necessities of the armed forces and to promote the development of the defense industry. Bayar added that the fundamental aim of the defense industry was to design and develop their own products.
Bayar said that they would start to producing military land equipment. They are partially producing fighter planes and submarines.
“We might be able to produce our own planes, helicopters and submarines in 10 years,” he said. Bayar added that they would continue joint research and development on unmanned aerial vehicles with Pakistan. “They will use electronic optic systems from us and will produce some parts of the aerial vehicle,” said Bayar. He said that Tusaş Aerospace Industries (TAI) was modernizing Jordan’s F-16s and had signed an agreement with Pakistan to modernize its F-16s.
Bayar said that there were already orders from Malaysia, South Africa and Chile for A400M cargo plane, which is being jointly produced by Turkey and five European countries. They aimed to work with international defense industries jointly by A400M cargo plane projects and JSF projects -- the project carried out by nine countries including US. He added that the design process of JSF planes would cost $40 billion and then the production cost per plane will be $60 million to $70 million. “TAI is designing a new training plane that is as maneuverable as jet fighters,” he said.
Bayar said that their electronic battle system technologies were top level and they replaced all the electronic control systems of their warships and C-130 cargo planes with domestic products. He added that they modernized the Special Forces’ Skorsky helicopters. Bayar added that Leopard tanks, in the past, could not shoot while moving but now with their modernizing studies they can hit the active targets while on the move. He said that they would start to produce the domestic warship this year. They will make the first prototype in the İstanbul Naval Dock and then invite private docks for bidding. He also emphasized that all the naval patrol ships were made by domestic firms. “All of these developments were made in one or two years,” he said.
17.02.2007, İstanbul Today’s Zaman , LINK...
Murad Bayar, the head of the Undersecretariat for the Defense Industry (SSM), said Turkey's defense industry had risen to significant levels and that a large amount of important equipment would be produced domestically in two or three years.
Turkey's technological capabilities were high and that skilled engineers coming out of universities were talented, said Bayar in an interview with the Anatolia news agency.
“Defense industrialists are now looking for engineers with Ph.D.s," he said. Bayar said the main purpose of the SSM was to meet the necessities of the armed forces and to promote the development of the defense industry. Bayar added that the fundamental aim of the defense industry was to design and develop their own products.
Bayar said that they would start to producing military land equipment. They are partially producing fighter planes and submarines.
“We might be able to produce our own planes, helicopters and submarines in 10 years,” he said. Bayar added that they would continue joint research and development on unmanned aerial vehicles with Pakistan. “They will use electronic optic systems from us and will produce some parts of the aerial vehicle,” said Bayar. He said that Tusaş Aerospace Industries (TAI) was modernizing Jordan’s F-16s and had signed an agreement with Pakistan to modernize its F-16s.
Bayar said that there were already orders from Malaysia, South Africa and Chile for A400M cargo plane, which is being jointly produced by Turkey and five European countries. They aimed to work with international defense industries jointly by A400M cargo plane projects and JSF projects -- the project carried out by nine countries including US. He added that the design process of JSF planes would cost $40 billion and then the production cost per plane will be $60 million to $70 million. “TAI is designing a new training plane that is as maneuverable as jet fighters,” he said.
Bayar said that their electronic battle system technologies were top level and they replaced all the electronic control systems of their warships and C-130 cargo planes with domestic products. He added that they modernized the Special Forces’ Skorsky helicopters. Bayar added that Leopard tanks, in the past, could not shoot while moving but now with their modernizing studies they can hit the active targets while on the move. He said that they would start to produce the domestic warship this year. They will make the first prototype in the İstanbul Naval Dock and then invite private docks for bidding. He also emphasized that all the naval patrol ships were made by domestic firms. “All of these developments were made in one or two years,” he said.
17.02.2007, İstanbul Today’s Zaman , LINK...
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