Turkey to launch national reconnaissance satellite

[Jigs]

Turkey to launch national reconnaissance satellite | TRDEFENCE

Turkey’s Erdogan said that Turkey would launch a national intelligence satellite in 2012 named “Gokturk”.

Turkey’s prime minister said on Saturday that Turkey would launch a national intelligence satellite in 2012.

Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the intelligence satellite named “Gokturk” was being built by Turkish engineers.
“I hope we will launch it in 2012,” Erdogan said during an amphibious ship launching ceremony in Tuzla, Istanbul.

“Thus, we have ended our foreign dependence in the construction of particularly military ships,” Erdogan said.

Erdogan said Turkish defense industry products could compete in international arena, and they used to meet only 25 percent of Turkish Armed Forces’ (TSK) need in 2001.

“However, our defense industry products met 46 percent of our need at the end of 2009,” Erdogan said.

Erdogan said 50 percent of Turkey’s defense needs would be met by Turkish companies at the end of 2010.

Defense industry’s turnover rose to 2.4 billion USD from 1 billion USD between 2002 and 2009, Erdogan said.

Erdogan said the turnover would reach 3 billion USD by the end of 2010.

On defense industry exports, Erdogan said Turkey’s income was up to 832 million USD from 240 million USD and set the target for 2011 as 1 billion USD.

“Turkey has designed a national infantry rifle for the first time in its history, and we will launch mass production in 2011,” he said.

Erdogan said Turkey had started to manufacture tanks named “Altay”, and launched prototype production of unmanned aircraft named “Anka”.

Premier Erdogan also said Turkey was also making test flights of its first national helicopters named “Atak”.

 

[Hasbara Buster]

Great news.

I know it's a little off topic but could someone who is knowledgeable please tell me if Turkey can become one of the top weapons exporters in, say, 10-20 years? Because I did a quick google search and it seems that Turkey is not even in the top 20 arms exporters in the world according to this site;

The Top 20 Arms Exporters, 2005–2009

To be honest, I can't believe that we are currently not even in the top 20.

 

[Dzul]

sorry off the topic,...

arm export are optional... what you need actually is self reliance... as long as you can provide all your weapon without foreign dependence then export will follow by itself

You guys are country with 99% of moslem... If you develop close relation to Malaysia, Indonesia, Saudi, Egypt, Pakistan, etc.. you will be a great arms exporter, as long as your stuff quality can compete with western made.

 

[Iki Devlet Bir Millet]

I think the likes of saudi arabia and UAE will prefer western made weapons rather than turkish anyday even if quality was same level! Egypt is obligated to buy U.S weapons because of the military aid they receive. It would be problematic to sell to iran due to foreign affairs. Malaysia, Indonesia, Bangladesh and Pakistan would be good markets though.

 

[cabatli_53]

what you need actually is self reliance... as long as you can provide all your weapon without foreign dependence then export will follow by itself

Actually, This is what we are trying to do now a days. We have so many reasons to have a self-relience defence industry. You know After Greeks attacked civilian Turkish living in Cyprus Island, Turkish army have to attack on Cyprus to protect them. In those war, Turkish airforces hit a Turkish ship because In those years, We could not comprehend the importance of software/intelligence technologies. After the war, USA issued an arm embargo over Turkey as well. After 1974, It is agreed that Having a self-reliance defence industry will be first priority of Turkish governments and so Aselsan-Roketsan and some others have been established. Electronics/Software technologies became the first area Turkish defence industry started maturing and Such achievements kept proceeding year by year. Since 1974, Those institues worked so hard and Year 2010, The efforts started giving the first complicated products.

Now a days, Undersecretariat of Turkish defence is directing more than 250 defence programs and More than 190 of them are domestic programs. There are some special programs waiting for start as well. Some of those are LHD, TF-2000 AAW destroyer, TF-100 frigates...etc

We are at the beggining of this road and Our defence programs have started maturing new. We have to wait until the products proved their qualities in field. That means at least 5 years more. Once We started taking some success against European rivals at export markets, I think Rest will come easier than we expect.

 

[Hasbara Buster]

Once We started taking some success against European rivals at export markets, I think Rest will come easier than we expect.

I hope we will not only achieve self-reliance, but also become a major weapons exporter.

 

[farhan_9909]

Good news for turkey..

Suparco and turkey space research organization should work together

 

[Pasban]

Congrats.

 

[cabatli_53]

According to SSM boss Murat Bayar told yesterday that Turkish Defence R&D will be tripled by 2020. It means 1.6-1.8 billion $ for only R&D's...