Türkiye set to deploy defense attachés: Official

ANKARA

Türkiye will station "defense industry attachés" at its embassies as part of a broader effort to expand the reach of its defense sector, a top official has said.

“This is important in terms of transferring the equipment and production capabilities of the defense industry sector to end users in the countries we contact and taking the pulse of the country and directing our sector to the right areas accordingly,” Defense Industry Presidency head Haluk Görgün told reporters in the southern city of Antalya on Feb. 2.

The program is set to operate in 23 countries, with approvals secured from 22 so far, he said. Azerbaijan was the first country to receive an attaché, followed by Pakistan and the United States.

“Their basic duty... is to establish a bridge between Turkish defense industry companies and foreign countries,” Görgün said.

Candidates for the role undergo a multi-stage selection process. After scoring evaluations, Görgün personally interviews the top three candidates before final discussions with vice presidencies to determine assignments.

He also provided an update on the development of the Kaan fighter jet, a fifth-generation aircraft that state-run Turkish Aerospace Industries (TUSAŞ) aims to bring to mass production by the late 2020s.

“It is one of the projects that friendly and brotherly countries are eagerly waiting for,” he said. “Our company is working diligently to produce and launch the first six aircraft as soon as possible. Flight plans are being made for both the first produced aircraft and those that will follow.”

His remarks came after TUSAŞ general manager Mehmet Demiroğlu said the company is aiming to expand defense exports to the U.S. and European markets despite global supply chain disruptions affecting the industry.