Minister of Industry and Technology Mehmet Fatih Kacır, Turkish Grand National Assembly, Industry, Trade, Energy, Natural Resources, Information and Technology Commission Chairman Mustafa Varank, Deputy Minister of National Defence Celal Sami Tüfekçi, Defence Industry Agency (SSB) President Professor Haluk Görgün, SAHA Istanbul Chairman of the Board of Directors Haluk Bayraktar and United Arab Emirates (UAE)-based defence group EDGE Chairman of the Board of Directors Faisal Al Banna attended and addressed the participants.
Minister Kacır stated that annual exports in the defence industry have increased from 240 million dollars to 4.5 billion dollars and said, “The gradually increasing share of unique platforms in the sector’s exports and the brand power that Turkish products have achieved in global markets indicate that we will quickly reach the 10-billion-dollar export target.”
Stating that Turkish UAVs and UCAVs have proven themselves all over the world, Tüfekçi said:
“I believe that the defence industry cooperation to be established between our countries to contribute to regional peace and stability will be the key to the development and prosperity of our countries. Our Ministry is ready to develop cooperation with all friendly and allied countries and work shoulder-to-shoulder to solve regional problems. The current state of the Turkish defence industry is at a level that resonates all over the world. “
Haluk Bayraktar also stated that the growth rate of the Turkish defence industry is impressive and that Turkiye has reached record levels in exports by reducing its foreign dependency on the defence industry in the last 20 years. He said that the export is projected to exceed $6 billion.
SSB President Görgün pointed out that the number of countries to which Turkish defence industry products are exported has increased to 170, and the type of products exported has increased to approximately 230 and added, “Turkish defence industry products have started to be at the forefront in the global league.” Touching on the role of EDGE, Görgün said, “We know that each of EDGE’s more than 20 companies is a centre of excellence, and in this context, they are the right partners for our technology-focused companies. In this respect, this workshop is of vital importance in terms of identifying possible future collaborations.”
Within the scope of the event, 24 cooperation agreements and letters of intention were signed between SAHA Istanbul and its members and EDGE Group. SAHA Istanbul and EDGE Group have also signed a strategic cooperation agreement. With the agreement announced at the SAHA - EDGE Defence Industry Meeting, the establishment of EDGE MALATH company was announced in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the UAE. MALATH was established to facilitate cooperation opportunities with SAHA Istanbul member companies. EDGE Group General Manager and CEO Mansour Al Mulla and SAHA Istanbul Deputy Chairman of the Board of Directors İlhami Keleş signed the strategic cooperation agreement.
In addition to the Strategic Cooperation Agreement between MALATH - SAHA Istanbul, Turkish defence industry companies Altınay, Assan, Baykar, ASELSAN, HAVELSAN, DADE Teknoloji, Best Grup, BİTES, TUSAŞ, MKE, Katmerciler, PAVO Group, STM, Roketsan, Titra Teknoloji, Tualcom, TEI, Sarsılmaz, YON Tech, Aspilsan, CANiK, Erin Motor and NETA Elektronik and EDGE Group.
SAHA Istanbul Chairman of the Board of Directors, Haluk Bayraktar, said, “We hope that EDGE MALATH will open doors for new collaborations, export efforts and investments. “
EDGE Chairman Faisal Al Bannai said: “Today, we are paving the way for a strategic alliance with SAHA Istanbul and its member companies that allows us to benefit from Turkiye’s strong defence and aerospace industry ecosystem and supply chain. This cooperation will pave the way for innovation and “foster a sustainable future for our sectors by strengthening defence ties between our countries.”
EDGE General Manager Mansour Al Mulla said, “The Defence Industry Meeting and the subsequent strategic cooperation agreement signed between EDGE and SAHA emphasize our common determination to strengthen our capabilities and promote growth in the defence sector. “The launch of MALATH will further strengthen our efforts in trade, joint development, advanced manufacturing and R&D investments.”
