On the margins of the 36th NATO Heads of State and Government Summit, the panel titled "Türkiye’s Defence Industry as the Cornerstone of NATO’s Defence Architecture" was held at Ankara Palas as part of the "Allies in Ankara" programme, organised by the Presidency's Directorate of Communications in partnership with the Munich Security Conference (MSC) and the Foundation for Political, Economic and Social Research (SETA).
During the panel, the contributions that the Turkish defence industry capacity makes to NATO’s goals of production, deterrence, and interoperability were discussed.
"The Turkish defence industry has a strong supply chain"
In his speech at the panel, ROKETSAN's Chief Executive Officer, Murat İkinci, highlighted the importance of the NATO Summit, which is being held to shape NATO’s future deterrence and defence strategies.
İkinci noted that the strength of the Turkish defence industry extends beyond technology and said that the sector also has a strong and capable supply chain, a capability currently lacking in most allied countries.
Noting that Türkiye’s defence industry comprises more than 3,500 suppliers, Murat İkinci stated that the company works with over 2,000 partner companies to deliver advanced defence solutions to its customers and currently exports its products to more than 50 countries.
"Türkiye is one of the few countries with such a dynamic defence ecosystem"
ASELSAN CEO Ahmet Akyol emphasised that while many countries have pledged to increase their defence budgets, the real challenge lies in translating those investments into tangible military capabilities as quickly as possible.
Akyol noted that the war in Ukraine has fundamentally reshaped strategic thinking, stressing that technological excellence alone is no longer sufficient in the defence industry. Akyol stated that although funding is available, time is limited to expand capacity, adding, "In light of this new reality, Türkiye is one of the few countries possessing this capacity, dynamic ecosystem, and highly comprehensive defence industry."
Highlighting ASELSAN’s contributions to the NATO Alliance, Akyol also provided an overview of the company's activities and projects in NATO Allied countries.
