"We will continue to work until we achieve our goal of a fully independent Türkiye in defense industry"
Presidency of The Republic of Turkey
28.07.2023
Addressing the Closing Ceremony of IDEF'23 16th International Defense Industry Fair, President Erdoğan said: "We will continue to work without a break until we achieve our goal of a fully independent Türkiye in defense industry."
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan made a speech at the Closing Ceremony of IDEF'23 16th International Defense Industry Fair at TÜYAP Fair and Congress Center.
Drawing attention to the global success IDEF has obtained in a short span of time, President Erdoğan said: "Over the course of its 30-year-long history, not quite a long time given the history of trade fairs, IDEF has turned into a global brand where the heart of the industry beats. This fact, an important gain on the part of Türkiye, is also evidenced by the expanding spectrum of our products as well as by the number of participants and firms. Nearly 200 systems and subsystems in various categories were displayed at the fair, during which the Turkish defense industry was showcased. IDEF'23 has been very productive in terms of business deals as well."
"WE HAVE ENCOUNTERED OBSTACLES FACED PROBABLY BY NO OTHER COUNTRY"
"Those following our country are the closest witnesses to the success story Türkiye has written in the past 21 years particularly in defense industry. Our institutions, firms and citizens have stood witness to this process as the actors of this story. Indeed, over the past 21 years we have encountered obstacles faced probably by no other country in the world. We have been subjected to overt and covert embargoes. We have been the victims of unfair and unlawful restrictions. We have experienced the most extreme examples of double standards, injustice and disloyalty. Yet, in the face of all this, we have not given up, we have never diverted from our path. We have never forgotten that we have to paddle our own canoe."
"WE ARE ONE OF THE 10 COUNTRIES CAPABLE OF BUILDING ITS OWN WARSHIP"
President Erdoğan stated: "We have lowered our foreign dependency to around 20 percent. Today, we are capable of meeting the majority of our needs for land, aerial and marine vehicles through our own domestic and national means. The level we have reached in the UAV and UCAV technology is already well known. We have taken the journey we embarked upon with TB2 and ANKA to an upper league with AKINCI and AKSUNGUR. What is more, KIZILELMA, our unmanned fighter aircraft, will break new ground in this field."
Underlining that Türkiye is one of the 10 countries capable of building its own warship, President Erdoğan added: "We not only design and build our ships by ourselves, but we also develop a wide range of relevant technology including weapon systems, radars, data systems and electronic warfare. We continuously enhance our capacity with new products in the area of unmanned marine, aerial and land vehicles."
"OUR NATIONAL COMBAT AIRCRAFT KAAN WILL BE IN THE SKY BY THE END OF THE YEAR"
Noting that Türkiye continued to make new products and open up to new customers and markets during the recent election period as well, President Erdoğan stated: "So far since the beginning of this year alone, we have put into use our new ALTAY tank; our navy's flagship TCG ANADOLU; the fifth generation national combat aircraft KAAN; HÜRJET and ATAK-2; and the new generation FIRTINA howitzers; in short, we have successfully tested, deployed or delivered many products of historic importance in air, at sea, or on land."
Stressing Türkiye's ambitious goals in the production of aerial vehicles, President Erdoğan noted: "KAAN, which we took out of the hangar three months ago, will inshallah be in the sky by the end of the year. We see the project partnership agreement signed related to KAAN with the brotherly Azerbaijan as an embodiment of the solidarity between the two countries. We are planning to add HÜRJET, which made its maiden flight in recent months, to the inventory in 2025. We will continue to work without a break until we achieve our goal of a fully independent Türkiye in defense industry."
"WE HAVE DEVELOPED RELATIONS BASED ON MUTUAL RESPECT"
Pointing out that the success story Türkiye has written in such a difficult and strategic field as defense industry also gives inspiration to other countries, President Erdoğan stated: "This situation also leads to the breaking of the long-established monopoly in the sector. That is why some countries controlling the weaponry technology cannot tolerate Türkiye. That is why the opposition parties directed by these powers speak ill of our defense industry moves. Our country has developed a TÜRKİYE MODEL in defense industry cooperation, just like it has done in humanitarian aid. Our target is not only selling products but also forging medium- and long-term partnerships. We don't favor the kind of trade in which only one of the sides is the producer while the other is always the customer. We want to strengthen our cooperation through a win-win approach on the basis of shared interests and common understanding. We have achieved this in foreign trade and investments. We have developed relations based on mutual respect across the world, from Africa and Asia to the Middle East and Latin America. We will inshallah achieve the same success in defense industry as well."
President Erdoğan added: "It is not right to use a crucial issue like security as an instrument of threat or oppression between states. Everyone should be able to meet their security needs easily so long as they are within legitimate and lawful boundaries. With this understanding, we will continue to share our defense industry capabilities with the friendly and brotherly countries. While meeting our own needs with our own helicopters, planes, UCAVs, vessels, armored vehicles, radars, tanks, air defense systems, missiles and ammunition, we, as Türkiye, will also stand with all our friends."
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