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Haluk Gorgun, President of the Turkish Presidency of Defense Industries (SSB), underlined Türkiye's rapidly evolving defense production capabilities during the NATO Summit in The Hague, stating that the country’s "locally developed technologies are not only a guarantee of strength on the battlefield but also at the negotiating table."
In remarks shared on social media and in comments to Anadolu Agency (AA), Gorgun emphasized the growing awareness within NATO regarding the agility, speed, and capacity of Türkiye’s defense sector.
"We are here to convey the opportunities, speed, and flexibility of Türkiye’s defense industry to all NATO members and allies," he said.
According to Gorgun, the swift adaptability and production capacity of Türkiye's defense industry have gained strategic recognition at the highest levels of NATO leadership, including Secretary General Mark Rutte.
"This awareness has been expressed several times by Secretary General Rutte, including during his remarks at this summit," he noted.
Gorgun said Türkiye had reached this point thanks to a strong political will over the past two decades. "We now produce our own platforms and the subsystems they rely on, with a local and national mindset," he added.
The Defense Industry Chief also noted that Türkiye actively participates in all NATO working groups and even leads some, including the Subcommittee on Supply Chain Security. "One of our team members at SSB chairs this group on behalf of all NATO members," he said.
Gorgun also mentioned that Turkish companies like Aselsan were recently invited to strategic working groups, such as one hosted by NATO’s Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) on building air defense architecture.
"We observe an increasing number of invitations and engagement from NATO towards our defense firms," he said.
Gorgun highlighted that the number of tenders Turkish companies participate in—and win—within NATO has increased.
"We know we can contribute more with our dynamic production capacity and allied spirit," he said. He added that Türkiye had invited NATO to host several major defense events in the country, including those on multidomain operations and innovation.
He also expressed hope that the summit would open new avenues for cooperation. "We aim to strengthen the effectiveness of our defense industry and hold productive talks with NATO members around joint projects and strategic collaboration," he stated.
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