Turkish protection pioneers sought to discover new partnerships and offers as they descended on Europe’s greatest arms present in London to showcase their newest merchandise, together with air protection techniques.
Because the final iteration of the biennial Defence and Safety Tools Worldwide (DSEI) in September 2021, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and dramatically elevated tensions over Taiwan and North Korea have given a shot of adrenaline to arms producers worldwide.
Almost 30 Turkish corporations are attending the expo that kicked off on Tuesday and lasts by way of Friday.
This yr’s occasion hosted over 2,800 protection and safety suppliers, with over 230 new exhibitors showcasing their newest merchandise and capabilities.
Turkish protection trade companies have made a major mark with corporations together with trade giants like Aselsan, Havelsan, BMC, and Roketsan, demonstrating their cutting-edge improvements, and highlighting Türkiye’s rising position within the international protection sector.
Debut of recent air protection system
Ahmet Akyol, chief of the Ankara-based protection large Aselsan, stated the corporate’s presence on the exhibition with its important merchandise is important for Türkiye.
He touched upon the significance of air protection techniques, which have gained international consideration since Russia’s conflict on Ukraine started.
In line with the Stockholm Worldwide Peace Analysis Institute (SIPRI), European protection spending rose 13% in 2022 alone, bringing the whole international spending to an all-time excessive of $2,240 billion.
Consultancy McKinsey reviews Russia noticed its protection exports fall 21% over the primary yr following the Ukraine invasion, creating additional openings for Western arms gross sales within the creating world.
Total, it expects navy spending to extend globally by a mean of 4% a yr by way of 2028, led by Japan rising its navy funds by an unprecedented 14% a yr.
“We’re exhibiting our KORKUT air protection system, which we developed for the Turkish Armed Forces, within the worldwide enviornment for the primary time,” Akyol instructed an interview with Anadolu Company (AA).
Recalling that the companies have additionally developed SIPER, HISAR and anti-drone techniques that complement it as a household, referred to as “GÖKKUBBE,” Akyol underlined they’re additionally highlighting the idea of those techniques on the exhibition.
Whereas Türkiye is including its nationwide merchandise in air protection techniques to its stock, it is usually signing and progressing the export of those merchandise with pleasant and allied nations, famous Akyol.
On the DSEI, Aselsan additionally debuted its new laser steering kits, GÖZDE, and a brand new era of SARP, a remotely managed stabilized weapon system.
“Whereas we’re exhibiting our merchandise right here, we’re additionally persevering with to hunt new collaborations, negotiations, agreements and searches with our worldwide companions,” he added.
‘Really pleasing and proud’
Havelsan, one other main Turkish protection agency, has been exhibiting its big selection of merchandise, together with state-of-the-art C4ISR applied sciences for land, air, and naval domains.
Havelsan’s Normal Supervisor, Mehmet Akif Nacar, touched upon the significance of the exhibition for the corporate and Türkiye. “As corporations based mostly in Türkiye, we’ve got reached a capability to provide world-class merchandise and exhibit them at such giant festivals,” he instructed AA.
Nacar added that exhibiting off the indigenous merchandise among the many international large corporations exhibits how far the Turkish protection trade has developed.
“Because the Turkish Protection Trade, we’ve got now reached a stage the place we are able to promote merchandise and exhibit capabilities not solely at IDEF (Worldwide Defence Trade Honest) but additionally at exhibitions which might be accepted everywhere in the world.”
Havelsan has showcased its autonomous system merchandise, air, land and naval merchandise in addition to command management and battle administration system and simulator merchandise at this yr’s DSEI, famous Nacar.
“That is really a satisfying and proud occasion for our nation and our corporations,” he added.
Mass manufacturing of TUNA engine
BMC Energy, the facility group producer of the Turkish protection trade, has efficiently accomplished the primary mass manufacturing job for the TUNA engine, stated the corporate’s Normal Supervisor Mustafa Kaval throughout the exhibition.
BMC Energy showcased its TUNA engine with 400 horsepower on the exhibition.
Kaval instructed AA that they started serial manufacturing of the TUNA engine in the beginning of the yr.
“This engine can have varied functions, with the primary one being the usage of the TUNA engine in KIRPI-2 automobiles. On this regard, we might be sending our first produced engine to our Izmir manufacturing facility this week. By the tip of the yr, it’s going to meet the KIRPI automobile,” he stated.
Kaval additionally talked about that work on 1,000 and 1,500-horsepower energy teams for tracked automobiles and the Altay primary battle tank is ongoing.
He confused on the significance of export for the sustainability of developed and produced merchandise and talked about that BMC and BMC Energy are working on this route.
“We’re in discussions with potential automobile producers. We’ve got additionally had discussions with corporations producing naval platforms. We envision utilizing these engines we produce for our nation and for pleasant and allied international locations.”
