Türkiye's missile and rocket production has achieved over 90% domestic self-sufficiency, with the country's defense sector poised to reach $10 billion in exports this year, according to Roketsan General Manager Murat Ikinci.
Speaking at the Türkiye Press Federation's Anadolu Conversations meeting on Friday, Ikinci said Roketsan's domestication rate exceeds 90%, significantly higher than the Turkish defense industry's overall domestic contribution rate of over 80%.
"We either produce and use completely domestically and nationally developed parts ourselves or produce them with our more than 2,000 business partners," Ikinci said during the press briefing.
Ikinci revealed that international restrictions have inadvertently accelerated Türkiye's self-reliance in defense manufacturing.
"Even if it's a screw or rivet, when you request materials that any company can easily access under the Roketsan name, you immediately encounter an obstacle," he said.
These barriers have pushed the company toward complete domestication, Ikinci explained: "This situation, which may seem like an obstacle for us, actually pushes us to grow completely in the focus of localization and nationalization. Especially with the work done in the last 10 years, Roketsan currently has no external dependency that affects its production."
Roketsan operates as one of Türkiye's largest research and development centers, employing over 6,000 people. The company ranks as the fourth-largest R&D investor among all Turkish industries, allocating over ₺10 billion ($245,1M) annually to its projects.
"This is not just a defense industry company but one of Türkiye's largest R&D companies," Ikinci explained.
"The most valuable and precious thing for us right now is qualified human resources. We need people to develop technology," he added.
Roketsan products are currently used by nearly 50 countries worldwide, demonstrating the global competitiveness of Turkish defense technology.
"We are not talking about a product that has only proven itself in the Turkish geography. Our weapons are used and successful in many areas, from the humid Amazon climate to the desert environment to the severe cold environment in Europe," Ikinci said.
The company's export value per kilogram reaches tens of thousands of dollars, contributing significantly to Türkiye's economic development, according to Ikinci.
The Turkish defense industry closed last year with approximately $7 billion in exports, but Ikinci projected ambitious growth for the current year.
"The sector closed last year with an export of around $7 billion, but hopefully this year it will challenge $10 billion," he said.
Roketsan itself has been experiencing remarkable growth, with annual revenue increasing by over 40% year-on-year in dollar terms. Ikinci emphasized that most of this growth is export-driven.
Addressing questions about Türkiye's integrated air defense system, Ikinci confirmed that components of the Steel Dome system are already operational in the field.
"The elements of the Steel Dome are currently in the field: HISAR, SUNGUR, ALKA and SIPER," he said.
The system will continue expanding with increased numbers and unified command control centers requiring minimal human intervention.
"An integrated air defense system is currently being created, including 'Blue Homeland.' This air defense system will not protect Türkiye pointwise but will protect Türkiye's entire airspace," Ikinci added.
Looking ahead, Ikinci indicated strong growth potential based on current order backlogs.
"When we look at the balance of orders, we have growth potential of close to 50% every year for the next five years," he concluded.