Bahçıvan: “The progress our defense industry has made is a success story that is now being closely watched not only in our country but also worldwide. The integration of our industrialists into this robust ecosystem—which includes companies like Havelsan, Aselsan, and TUSAŞ—will enhance both our production capabilities and our export strength. We are fully confident that together we will achieve a stronger industrial structure and propel our country even further on the international stage.”
The Istanbul Chamber of Industry (ISO) Assembly organized a two-day strategic visit to Ankara to examine the operations of three major organizations in Turkey’s defense industry firsthand and to further develop defense industry collaborations. ISO Board of Directors Chairman Erdal Bahçıvan, ISO Assembly Chairman Ender Yılmaz, and ISO Assembly Members visited the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB) together with Havelsan, Aselsan, and TUSAŞ—which have achieved global successes in security, aviation, and software technologies in recent years—as well as the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB).
The ISO delegation included ISO Board of Directors Vice Chairmen İrfan Özhamaratlı and Cemal Keleş; ISO Board of Directors Members Sultan Tepe (Treasurer), Kemal Akar, Vehbi Canpolat, Celal Kaya, İnan Altınbaş, Hüseyin Çetin, Dr. Faruk Sarı, and Murat Çökmez; ISO Assembly Vice Chairs Yüksel Özyurt; and ISO Assembly Presiding Board Secretary Koray Yavuz, along with numerous ISO Assembly members. Ali Coşkun, who served as Minister of Industry and Trade in the 58th and 59th governments and was a long-time member of the Istanbul Chamber of Industry Assembly, also accompanied the delegation on some of the visits.
The ISO delegation began its trip to Ankara with a visit to Anıtkabir. During the visit, which saw strong participation from ISO Assembly members, ISO Board of Directors Chairman Bahçıvan and ISO Assembly Chairman Yılmaz laid a wreath at Atatürk’s mausoleum. Following the visit, which continued with ISO Assembly members observing a moment of silence before the mausoleum, ISO Board of Directors Chairman Erdal Bahçıvan wrote his thoughts in the guestbook.
The defense industry ecosystem must contribute to production
ISO Board of Directors Chairman Erdal Bahçıvan, in his remarks during visits to defense industry giants, noted that the fact that a large portion of the world’s hotspots are located in our immediate and neighboring regions, combined with our country’s geostrategic position, makes security and defense issues far more critical for us, and emphasized that effective and powerful armed forces are essential for our country. Noting that Turkey’s strides in the defense industry over the past 20 years have not only bolstered our military capabilities but also reinforced our engineering expertise, production capacity, and technological confidence, Bahçıvan “The defense industry—one of the most critical sectors shaped and advanced by technological developments—has evolved into a more innovative, digital, and robust structure under the leadership of organizations such as Havelsan, Aselsan, and TUSAŞ. These achievements enhance not only our country’s defense capabilities but also its capacity to develop and export technology. The defense industry is not merely a measure of military strength; it is also the most important indicator of a nation’s technological capacity, economic independence, and global standing. Countries that cannot develop their own defense technologies cannot be fully independent in their strategic decisions. Investments in the defense industry also make significant contributions to the development of domestic industry, technology transfer, innovation, and the training of a skilled workforce. As Turkey, the strides we have made in the defense industry over the past twenty years have not only strengthened our military capabilities but also solidified our engineering expertise, production capacity, and technological self-confidence. This is clearly evident from the proud achievements our country has made in this field in recent years. “Today, the Turkish defense industry—with its prime contractors, subcontractors, universities, research institutions, domestically developed technological products, and growing exports—has become one of our country’s most strategic sectors,” he said.
As the Istanbul Chamber of Industry (ISO), we support the transition to high technology
Highlighting that the Istanbul Chamber of Industry (ISO)—Turkey’s largest industrial chamber with nearly 23,000 members—supports the Turkish industry’s transition to high technology, he noted, “We believe it is important for this strong ecosystem formed in Turkey’s defense industry to contribute to our country’s other production sectors as well. We believe that the successes of our defense industry in this field serve as a source of inspiration for other sectors as well. In this regard, since 2017, we have been organizing the Defense Industry Meetings in collaboration with SAHA Istanbul to increase our localization rate by bringing together the key players in our defense industry with strong suppliers. We are organizing the seventh edition of this event—which aims to foster collaboration by bringing together key players in the defense industry with subcontractors and new suppliers, and in which more than 7,000 of our companies have participated to date—this December. We believe that the integration of our industrialists into this strong ecosystem—which includes companies such as Havelsan, Aselsan, and TUSAŞ—will enhance both our production capabilities and our export strength. “Undoubtedly, the rate of domestic production and national content in the defense industry carries far greater importance than in other sectors. It is extremely encouraging and a source of pride that the domestic production rate in this sector has risen above 80 percent as of 2024,” he said.
Defense giants are offering new opportunities to companies and engineers
Noting that the defense industry has today evolved into an ecosystem where digital technologies, artificial intelligence, big data, and cybersecurity are effectively utilized, Bahçıvan said during a visit to Havelsan with ISO Assembly Members: “In this transformation process, Havelsan has become one of our most important institutions, strengthening our country’s technological capabilities in both the military and civilian sectors. The role Havelsan plays in building Turkey’s digital defense architecture ensures not only today’s security but also that of the future. Havelsan’s engineering expertise, its emphasis on R&D, and its approach based on university-industry collaboration also serve as a model for the sustainable growth of the Turkish defense industry,” he said.
Noting that high-tech fields such as electronics, radar, communications, and weapons systems lie at the heart of the defense industry, Bahçıvan also touched on the following points during his speech at Aselsan: “With the innovative solutions and advanced engineering capabilities it has developed across a broad spectrum—from beneath the seas to outer space—Aselsan has become a globally respected brand that meets the needs of the Turkish Armed Forces using domestic resources. We are confident that this success story was written through a strong vision, a qualified workforce, and a commitment to sustainable innovation. Aselsan’s position within the defense industry ecosystem offers new opportunities to both our subcontractor companies and our young engineers, showcasing Turkey’s engineering prowess to the world.”
TUSAŞ: One of the Key Building Blocks of This Success Story
On the second day of the ISO Council’s trip to Ankara, the Turkish Aerospace Industries (TUSAŞ) was also visited. During the visit, which included speeches by TUSAŞ Board Chairman Ömer Cihad Vardan and TUSAŞ General Manager Dr. Mehmet Demiroğlu, the production lines of globally acclaimed projects—such as the Kaan jet aircraft, the Atak helicopter, and the Anka unmanned aerial vehicle—were inspected. The ISO delegation witnessed firsthand the engineering expertise and high-quality standards involved in the design and production phases of these cutting-edge products. In his remarks at TUSAŞ, ISO Board Chairman Erdal Bahçıvan emphasized that visionary leadership, a strong engineering infrastructure, and a commitment to domestic and national production are among the most important building blocks of the defense industry’s success story. He stated: “With TUSAŞ’s Kaan National Fighter Aircraft project and advanced products such as Hürjet, Gökbey, Anka, Aksungur, and Anka III, we are firmly positioned within global competition in both the defense and aviation sectors. We know that in addition to providing these valuable products to our defense industry, TUSAŞ also manufactures for major global aircraft manufacturers like Airbus and possesses a world-class structural production infrastructure. TUSAŞ stands out not only as a production center but also as a technology hub that inspires future generations with its accumulated knowledge, making invaluable contributions to our country’s independence, security, and technological development.”
The ISO community stands with the defense industry
ISO Assembly Chairman Ender Yılmaz also made the following remarks during his visit to Ankara: “Our defense industry—with its engineers, technicians, master craftsmen, and all its employees—is a large family and the key players in broadening our nation’s horizons and transforming the phrase ‘domestic and national’ from a mere slogan into a concrete reality. Aselsan, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary, has transformed into a technology giant that challenges the world with over 300 products today—a source of great pride and inspiration for all of us. Havelsan is not merely a company; it is a think tank building the future of our country’s digital independence and industry across a broad spectrum ranging from cybersecurity to artificial intelligence, and from critical software to training simulators. TUSAŞ, the architect of our success in the skies, is the guiding star not only of our defense industry but also of our high-tech and innovation-driven industrial transformation. TUSAŞ is a source of confidence that proclaims to us, “Turkey can do it—and do it even better.” As the ISO Assembly, our agenda centers on enhancing the competitiveness of our industry, leading the way in green and digital transformation, and transforming Turkey into a hub for high-value-added production. This is part of our intention to further develop and strengthen the collaboration between ISO—the “Heart of Industry”—and TUSAŞ—the “Star of Industry.” We want you to know that you are not alone on this journey; as the ISO community, we are always by your side and will continue to be.”
ISO is a Valuable Partner and Stakeholder
Havelsan General Manager Dr. Mehmet Akif Nacar addressed the industrialists during the visit by ISO Assembly members, stating: “Havelsan, which climbed more than 70 spots in the ISO 500 ranking in 2024 and is now positioned between 160 and 170 on the list,, meets many of the technological needs of the Turkish Armed Forces’ land, air, and sea components with original and national solutions, thanks to its more than 2,700 qualified employees and a strong ecosystem involving approximately 1,000 companies. Our projects and products are making a name for themselves in 25 countries across four continents. We have offices and branches in 10 countries worldwide, and we will be adding three more countries to this network. The Istanbul Chamber of Industry (ISO) is a valuable partner and a potential stakeholder in expanding Havelsan’s digital transformation services for civilian institutions. We believe that the industry meetings organized under the auspices of ISO, in which Havelsan also participates, will contribute to national production within our defense industry, add value to local collaborations, and align very well with Havelsan’s vision. At this event, we conduct B2B meetings with an average of 50 companies each year. Following these meetings, we have incorporated 13 different ISO-registered companies into our ecosystem and have registered more than 50 companies to date. With this vision and shared understanding, we are increasing the number of ISO-registered companies in our ecosystem, and we believe it is of the utmost importance to prioritize quality, sustainability, cost-effectiveness, and domestic production in terms of both quality and quantity.”
Ahmet Akyol, General Manager and CEO of Aselsan, made the following remarks during the visit by the ISO Council: “Today, we are Turkey’s most valuable company. We are a model organization in many criteria, such as finding the best people, working with the best managers, and maintaining transparency and accountability. This is a team effort; our team is truly excellent. We have serious plans for the future. We are at an industry meeting today, but I also hold various positions related to the defense industry. We place great importance on efficiency because there is fierce global competition. “Right now, Aselsan is a star in Turkey; however, we still see many areas where we fall short. Because this business is like riding a bicycle—you have to keep moving forward to maintain your balance. There is immense global competition. We’re in a good position, but we continue to evolve while being aware of our shortcomings.”
