Ankara: Turkish defense company Aselsan expects a stronger increase in exports to NATO-linked countries as European and allied interest in Trkiye's defense industry continues to grow, the company's CEO said. Speaking to Anadolu at the NATO Defense Industry Forum held in Ankara as part of the 36th NATO Summit of Leaders, Ahmet Akyol said the forum has now become part of NATO's broader agenda, calling it an important shift for the alliance.
According to Anadolu Agency, Akyol highlighted Trkiye's significant investments in the defense industry, emphasizing the nation's advantageous position due to geography, military strength, and industrial capabilities. He noted that Trkiye's armed forces, now equipped largely with domestic defense industry products, have strengthened their international standing, and Turkish defense companies are keen on expanding cooperation through international platforms.
Akyol further mentioned that components of Trkiye's Steel Dome air defense system are viewed as capability enhancements for NATO. Trkiye's development of an integrated, layered air defense architecture in recent years has seen Aselsan increasing serial production and adapting to evolving battlefield dynamics. The systems being developed, including radars and air defense systems, are recognized as valuable to NATO and are expected to bolster the alliance's security architecture.
Aselsan is also investing in cutting-edge technologies as warfare shifts towards AI-based, network-centric, and autonomous systems. Akyol stressed the importance of artificial intelligence, revealing that Aselsan operates within a closed network environment, with over 2,000 engineers working on AI daily. Additionally, Aselsan is advancing in quantum technology, having signed agreements for the development of superconducting quantum processor units, and is constructing a production facility in Ankara.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte's visit to Aselsan underscored the company's innovative strides in AI, semiconductors, and autonomous systems. Akyol expressed that Rutte has cited Aselsan as a model of innovation and rapid production capability.
Akyol also announced Aselsan's assignment to design secure communications satellites in low Earth orbit as part of a joint NATO investment program. This task underscores the international trust in Trkiye's engineering prowess in space technologies. With future developments in secure LEO communications infrastructure, Aselsan aims to equip space with next-generation satellite networks to meet critical military and strategic communications needs.