‘Ankara's becoming a defense industry center to worry some parties'

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The government's target of turning Ankara into a prominent defense industry hub -- a brand-new project announced by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan -- will not be welcomed by some parties and they may attempt sabotaging this goal, defense economy expert Yakup Evirgen told Today's Zaman on Friday in Ankara.

Erdoğan on Wednesday announced a series of projects planned by his ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) for Ankara. Among the leading projects Erdoğan proposed is making the capital into one of the most important defense industry centers in the world. The prime minister said a radar production facility will be established in Ankara by ASELSAN, as well as a space and satellite center by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI). Erdoğan attributes Ankara's potential to become an eminent defense industry to the fact that the city meets 80 percent of Turkey's defense industry production, which increased by more than 100 percent between 2004 and 2010, he said this production is by companies based in Ankara. Ankara's defense companies are expected to contribute $8 billion to the Turkish defense industry's total turnover.



Underlining that leading Turkish defense companies such as TUSAŞ, ASELSAN, HAVELSAN, ROKETSAN and MKE are based in Ankara, Evirgen said the new projects would boost the city's defense industry and also be a major driving force behind the country's economic growth. “Ankara's future lies here. … This project will maintain a sustainable improvement in technological infrastructure,” he explained. “But some parties, both inside Turkey and abroad, will try to put obstacles before this project.” According to the defense expert, Turkey's leading defense product providers will not be happy with Turkey meeting its demands in domestic markets. Mentioning a lack of confidence among Turkish companies to engage in defense development projects in the past, Evirgen said this project will also help local producers gain confidence.



Evirgen says that sustainable development in the Turkish defense industry could only be provided by defining “national” defense strategies. Turkey's defense sector should be protected from potential foreign manipulations.

Noting that the construction of a radar production facility is of the utmost importance in the project, he says Turkey was late in doing so and studies must be accelerated to realize it.

http://www.todayszaman.com/news-245...se-industry-center-to-worry-some-parties.html

 

[BordoEnes]

A great step for turkey to become an state which dont Rely on military technolgy but rather make it themself . And with erdogan as president there is no doubt that turkey will become an semi-superpower with its massively rising economie (expected to be among the top 10 economies of the world by 2023). Regard

 

[Saithan]

I don't quite agree with you on that statement. Making the military equipment ourselves will only generate knowhow and that's good. However relying on what we can deliver ourselves is only good IF it's better than what any other competitor has to offer.

It's wasteful to invent the wheel a second time, but through techtransfer I guess we're not inventing it all over again.

 

[Cerian]

I don't quite agree with you on that statement. Making the military equipment ourselves will only generate knowhow and that's good. However relying on what we can deliver ourselves is only good IF it's better than what any other competitor has to offer.

It's wasteful to invent the wheel a second time, but through techtransfer I guess we're not inventing it all over again.

Just a reminder. When there is a company which offers a tech transfer for an agreement they don't mean to transfer all the technology went into creating that system, only part of it.

 

[skylab20]

we pakistan and turkey can work together

 

[Saithan]

Just a reminder. When there is a company which offers a tech transfer for an agreement they don't mean to transfer all the technology went into creating that system, only part of it.

I m aware of that, but like I said, we're saving some time from having to reinvent everything. Of course they will not jeapardize their creations by giving us all they invented, because they need to sell it at earn money of course.