Ankara:The IDA Trkiye Defense and Aviation Industrial Cooperation Days summit has commenced in Ankara, bringing together global representatives from the sector to foster industry partnerships.
According to Anadolu Agency, the event is organized by the Ostim Defense and Aviation Cluster (OSSA) with support from the Turkish National Defense Ministry and the Defense Industries Agency (SSB), and Anadolu serves as its global communications partner.
Ibrahim Yarsan, chair of OSSA, highlighted the summit's evolution since its inception in 2013, noting its rebranding to reflect a more global mission. The cluster now includes 359 firms, predominantly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that are crucial to the supply chain of major defense companies. He emphasized that the event is a business development gathering rather than just a trade show, with over 8,000 one-on-one business meetings facilitated over the years. Yarsan also announced plans for IDA Spain, aiming to strengthen collaborations between Turkish and Spanish firms, with an event scheduled in Valencia next year.
Orhan Aydin, chair of the Ostim Organized Industrial Region, stated that Turkey's domestic defense production model is being adapted to civilian sectors. By enforcing domestic contribution requirements akin to the SSB's model, Turkish industries have enhanced capabilities to produce homegrown light rail vehicles, metro cars, and high-speed trains, with contributions from defense contractors like Aselsan.
Seyit Ardic, president of the Ankara Chamber of Industry, pointed out that technological advancements in artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, and advanced materials from the defense sector can be leveraged to boost efficiency in the civilian economy. He proposed creating a healthcare industries directorate to transfer strategic expertise from defense to accelerate domestic healthcare production and mentioned ongoing efforts to integrate more firms from machinery, electronics, and software sectors into high-value defense projects.
Gursel Baran, president of the Ankara Chamber of Commerce, reported that Turkey's defense industry achieved a domestic content rate of 80% this year, with defense and aerospace exports rising significantly from $248 million in 2002 to $11 billion by August 2026. The sector comprises around 4,000 firms managing over 1,400 projects, employing 100,000 workers, and spending $3.5 billion annually on research and development. Baran highlighted the widespread application of defense technology across various fields including automotive, healthcare, communications, energy, transportation, and space exploration, contributing to Turkey's scientific knowledge, production capacity, skilled workforce, and economic future.
The IDA Trkiye 2026 summit is set to conclude on Friday.