Türkiye now defense ecosystem for partners: Görgün

ANKARA

Türkiye is no longer followed only for its defense products but has become an ecosystem that international partners want to work with and co-produce in, Defense Industries President Haluk Görgün has said.

Speaking to Anadolu about the Belgian Economic Mission to Türkiye, Görgün said the latest engagement reflected years of contacts, mutual trust and Türkiye’s field-proven defense capabilities.

“What we see today is not the result of a few days of activity. It is the outcome of ongoing contacts, mutual trust and capabilities that have proven themselves in the field,” Görgün said.

“Türkiye is no longer a country that is only followed for its products. Türkiye has become a defense industry ecosystem that others want to work with and co-produce with,” he added.

Görgün said Belgium’s visit with a broad delegation from defense, aviation, technology and industry showed growing international interest in Türkiye’s defense sector.

Durable cooperation in defense cannot be built only on goodwill, he said, adding that trust, capability and mutual benefit were essential.

He also pointed to Belgian Defense and Foreign Trade Minister Theo Francken’s remarks that Türkiye was “way ahead” in defense modernization and unmanned systems, saying such comments reflected how Türkiye’s progress was now viewed abroad. Francken earlier praised Türkiye’s defense industry as a “role model” ahead of the mission.

Görgün said Ankara did not want defense ties with Belgium to remain limited to buying and selling.

“There will of course be trade, products and projects. But we need to go beyond that,” he said.

He cited joint development, co-production, cooperation in third markets and joint solutions for NATO needs as possible areas of work.

Belgium has strengths in sensitive components, advanced materials, space technologies and specialized defense electronics, while Türkiye brings field-proven systems, rapid production capacity and a broad industrial network, Görgün said.

He said the nature of warfare was changing quickly, with unmanned systems, artificial intelligence, electronic warfare, anti-drone technologies and rapid production capacity becoming decisive.

“Türkiye read this transformation early,” Görgün said. “We did not only develop products. We built an entire structure from design to production, from subsystems to software, from ammunition to maintenance and sustainment.”

Belgian officials visited Turkish defense companies including Baykar, Turkish Aerospace Industries, ASELSAN, ROKETSAN and HAVELSAN during the mission, Görgün said.

A letter of intent was also signed between Türkiye’s Defense Ministry, the Presidency of Defense Industries and Belgium’s Defense Ministry during the visit.

Görgün said the momentum between the two countries had developed step by step through earlier contacts, including meetings at NATO, IDEF and the first Türkiye-Belgium Defense Industry Day in Brussels.

“Today’s picture did not emerge on its own. Behind it is a process that has been carried out, followed up and matured step by step,” he said.

Describing the current global environment as a “geopolitical pandemic,” Görgün said crises no longer remain confined to one region.

“A political crisis can turn into an energy crisis, an energy crisis into a supply crisis, and eventually affect the entire world,” he said.

“In such a world, you cannot remain dependent on the mercy of others. Security is not something that can simply be imported,” he added.

Görgün said Türkiye’s offer to allies was based on win-win cooperation and preparing together not only for today’s needs but also for future security challenges.