In his speech at the "A12M Aircraft Retrofit Contract Ceremony" held at the 400th Air Transport Main Base Command with the participation of the Minister of National Defense Hulusi Akar, Minister Turhan expressed his pleasure in being in Kayseri.

Nations stage of history in there the most fundamental factors, Turhan stressed that they are characters with, that Turkey is a time of much experience, many trials and hardships they survived, "do not be and there being" told from leaving until thin line.

Turhan emphasized that they continue to walk proudly on the journey of history. As in yesterday, today's knowledge, equipment, discipline, strong staff and superior success in our duties make us proud. ” he spoke.

Army always empowerment can, the age of the equipment of the latest technology with the Armed Forces following the development and its dependence on foreign minimizing that among the main purpose of performing expressing Turhan, Turkey's three continents noted that connects very important geo-strategic and found a geopolitical position .

“We've had a revolution in the past 17 years”

Besides the historical background, current global turmoil, the general trend experienced events and the world in the area close to the defense industry, as in all areas of Turkey, Turhan emphasized that requires a very strong, continued as follows:

“We have realized a revolution in the field of defense industry, especially with the policies and investments implemented with the vision of our President in the last 17 years. Today, 700 separate defense industry projects are carried out in our country and the size of the project has reached 60 billion dollars in terms of volume. We have 100 companies that are among the top 5 defense companies in the world. With what has been done to date, we have reduced our foreign dependency in the defense industry from 80 percent to 30 percent. Research and development expenditures in the defense industry, which was almost nonexistent before, have now reached 1,5 billion dollars. If they ask 'What happened?' I can simply say the following; Turkey today, under the ATAK helicopter war produces its own name, spying on the enemy with UAVs. It hits its targets set with Armed Unmanned Aerial Airplanes. ALTAY makes his tanks, national infantry rifle. It produces its own warship with the Milgem Project. Moreover, Turkey today, the warship designed with national capabilities in the world, was one of 10 countries that build and can perform the maintenance. We are less proud of this painting. ”

Turhan said that all these achievements in the defense industry will continue increasingly and the dependence on foreigners in the defense industry will be eliminated, and that an important step will be taken in reaching this goal with the agreement that will be implemented today.

Minister Turhan said that they have been carrying out successful works for nearly 30 years on the basis of cooperation with Airbus in civil and military aviation.

“344 of the 170 planes in the Turkish Airlines fleet were produced by Airbus. In addition, there are a total of 84 A321-5 aircraft, 30 A350 NEOs and 900 options, which are ordered by Airbus and are planned to be delivered in the coming years. The list price of the 2024 planes, which will be received piece by piece until 114, is about 2019 billion USD. Airbus has important relationships with our other strategic organization, TURKSAT, as in THY. In 20,9, Türksat 2017A and Türksat 5B communication satellites main contract was signed between Türksat and Airbus. We aim to launch Turksat 5A and 3000B telecommunication satellites into space in the first quarter of 5 and 5, respectively, based on the latest electric orbital upgrade version of the Airbus, Eurostar E2020 platform. In addition, we are planning our Turkish Space Agency to cooperate with Airbus in the coming period, which includes research, development and commercial issues. ”

"Airbus, $ 2,5 billion is expected to invest in Turkey"

Turhan not limited to expressing their relationship with Airbus, he gave the following information: "Turkey, as the fourth largest customer of the Airbus 9 airline company serves around 270 passenger and cargo aircraft. Furthermore, Airbus also has 7 major industrial partner and subsidiary in Turkey. Airbus in 2020, about $ 2,5 billion to invest in Turkey and in 2030 is expected to exceed $ 5 billion of this figure. As the tangible benefits of these investments, every commercial and military Airbus aircraft flying today has parts produced by Turkish suppliers. Turkish suppliers are also responsible for the design and manufacturing of critical parts, such as ailerons for the A350 XWB family and control surfaces for some commercial and military aircraft platforms. ”

Turhan, in addition to all these, health services, vehicles used in business aviation, transport aircraft, general-purpose search and rescue helicopters in many areas until it is possible to see the signature of Airbus, said that this table will carry themselves further work on the basis of cooperation.

In this context, Turhan stated that they found the agreement of TUSAŞ and Airbus important in September 2018 and stated that the agreement aims to develop research and experiments in the secondary structures of the aircraft, such as moving parts, and to work together.

National Defense Minister Hulusi Akar After the speeches, Transport and Infrastructure Minister Mehmet Cahit Turhan, asphaltene General Manager Assad Akgun, Kayseri Garrison Commander Brigadier General Ercan Teke, Airbus DS Chairman of Turkey Can Young and Airbus DS Vice President Nils Michael, the A400M Aircraft Retrofit Agreement signed .

Ministers Turhan and Akar and those accompanying him later examined the A09M aircraft with 400 K / N in the hangar where the ceremony was held.

The ceremony, Chief of General Staff Gen. Yasar Guler, Land Forces Commander Gen. Umit Dundar, Admiral Adnan Ozbal Commander, Air Forces Commander Gen. Hasan Kucukakyuz, Kayseri Mayor Şehmus Günaydın and Metropolitan Mayor Memduh Büyükkılıç also attended.