Defense Industry President İsmail Demir Announces The Goals of the Turkish Defense Industry for 2022
At a press conference conducted at HAVELSAN’s headquarters in Ankara with the attendance of news organizations on Monday, January 31, Turkish Presidency of Defense Industry President İsmail Demir presented the vision and aims of the Turkish defense industry for 2022.
Demir noted that they reached 80 percent of the 40 objectives shared in 2021, emphasizing that the goals set last year were mostly met. Demir stated that, apart from the fact that previous projects will be completed in 2022, new systems will be delivered to security forces, and new projects will be launched based on their various needs, Demir also noted that Turkey has made one of the largest leaps in the defense industry in recent years.
The most interesting news from the speech was the first flight of the TB3, an improved model of the Bayraktar TB2, which drew worldwide attention and was exported to 16 countries thanks to its performance in the Idlib Operation (Spring Shield Operation), Olive Branch Operation, Euphrates Shield Operation, and Nagorno-Karabakh War.
“The Bayraktar TB3 UAV, which can land and take off on ships with short runways, will make its first flight this year,” Demir stated. “Then, the integration of Bayraktar TB3 UAV to the Multi-Purpose Amphibious Assault Ship ANADOLU will begin.”
There were various differences in the design of TCG Anadolu in the image published by the Presidency of Defense Industries. The space behind the elevator, which allows the platforms to be placed within the ship, was closed while the ski-jump ramp, which allows the aircraft to take off, appeared extended.
Listing the developments that will occur in the defense industry in 2022, Demir stated that the twin-engine multirole helicopter Gökbey, developed by Turkish Aerospace Industries, will be delivered to the armed forces, the Jet Training and Light Attack Aircraft Hürjet will be taken out of the hangar and begin ground tests, the Mini UAV-D systems and the mini Boyga UAVs will be put into use for the first time, and that the last A400M aircraft will be delivered completing the 10 aircraft A400M fleet.
In addition, Demir stated that this year they will make the first deliveries of the Bozdoğan Within-Visual-Range Air-to-Air Missile (WVRAAM) and the Gökdoğan Beyond-Visual-Range Air-to-Air Missile (BVRAAM), developed within the scope of the Göktuğ Project started by TÜBİTAK SAGE in 2013 due to various problems in the supply and the high unit costs of the AIM-9 and AIM-120 missiles used by the F-16 aircraft of the Turkish Air Force. Demir continued by saying:
“The Gökdeniz Close Air Defense System will be integrated into the ISTANBUL frigate for the first time. We will make the first deliveries of SUNGUR Portable Air Defense Missiles. Our KARAOK missile will enter the inventory for the first time. We will make the first deliveries of PARS 6×6 Mine-Resistant Vehicles and Armored Amphibious Assault Vehicle ZAHA. We will deliver the first Armored Combat Vehicle with an integrated unmanned gun turret, the ZMA. We will start the renewal of fire control systems in M60T tanks with the domestic Volkan-M system. We will develop and deliver new unmanned ground vehicles of various types and features in various classes.”
The launch of new unmanned surface vehicle projects, with the exception of Albatros-S and ULAQ USV, as well as the signing of a construction contract for three İ-class (Istanbul-class) frigates and progress on the 2nd Reis-class submarine, are among the developments announced for the navy in 2022.
These developments, which the Turkish defense industry expects to reach in 2022, aim to not only provide more flexible solutions for Turkey’s national security protection, but also improve the country’s diplomatic and economic efficiency and flexibility. According to data from the last ten years, the Turkish defense industry sector’s exports have increased by more than 200 percent. Turkey, which has increased its defense industry exports to more than $3.2 billion per year, hopes to increase this number further in 2022.