Turkish defense industry takes stage at NATO summit

ANKARA

Türkiye showcased its defense industry platforms at a reception held at Turkish Aerospace’s Kahramankazan facilities on July 7 as part of the NATO Summit Defense Industry Forum.

The event was hosted by Haluk Görgün, head of the Secretariat of Defence Industries, during the 36th NATO Summit of Heads of State and Government in Ankara.

Görgün said the Defense Industry Forum was one of the largest events in NATO history and marked an important step in strengthening cooperation between allies and the defense industry.

“The world is undergoing a major transformation. It is unthinkable for NATO to remain indifferent to this,” Görgün said.

He said efforts that had grown through the Vilnius, Washington and The Hague summits had reached a new stage in Ankara.

“When NATO’s history is written in the future, a special chapter will be dedicated to the Ankara summit, and the Defense Industry Forum will mark the beginning of a new chapter for NATO,” he said.

Görgün said the alliance’s future strength would depend not only on the individual capabilities of member countries but also on capabilities developed through partnership.

He listed common demand planning, early engagement with industry, rapid adoption of new technologies, innovation and resilient defense supply chains as priorities for NATO defense cooperation.

The reception included displays by Turkish defense companies and flight demonstrations by manned and unmanned platforms.

The new-generation jet trainer HÜRJET, the HÜRKUŞ-II basic trainer, the ANKA III unmanned combat aircraft, GÖKBEY and ATAK helicopters, Bayraktar AKINCI, Bayraktar TB3, ANKA and AKSUNGUR unmanned aerial vehicles took part in the flight program.

ANKA III also performed a formation flight with HÜRJET and HÜRKUŞ.

Turkish defense products displayed at the reception included the Altay main battle tank, Steel Dome air defense systems developed by ASELSAN and Roketsan, heavy-caliber munition systems, drones and armored vehicles.

Görgün also pointed to Baykar’s role in unmanned aerial vehicles and said its KIZILELMA unmanned combat aircraft attracted interest during the forum.

Baykar CEO Haluk Bayraktar, speaking at a separate panel during the forum, said NATO countries could accelerate the development of drone capabilities by deepening partnerships and combining existing strengths.

“It is much faster to cooperate instead of trying to invent everything from scratch or compete,” Bayraktar said.