Turkey defense industry localization rate reaches 83 percent

Prof. Dr. Haluk Görgün, President of the Defense Industry Agency, announced that the localization rate in Turkey's defense industry has reached 83 percent. Speaking at the Denizli Defense Industry Provincial Meeting hosted by the Denizli Chamber of Industry, Görgün highlighted the scale of major national projects, noting that 750 companies are involved in the KAAN national combat aircraft production and approximately 1,000 companies are participating in the SİPER long-range air defense system project.

Görgün emphasized the strategic necessity of securing the entire supply chain, stating that designing a platform with national resources is insufficient without localizing every component and critical material. He identified Denizli as a key potential hub, noting that the city's existing engineering and export expertise could be integrated into the aerospace and defense sectors. Currently, major firms such as ASELSAN, TUSAŞ, ROKETSAN, HAVELSAN, and TEI maintain 45 supply relationships with local companies in Denizli, totaling a business volume of approximately 1.43 million dollars.

Strategic investment efforts are underway in Denizli to produce titanium alloys and high-quality semi-finished products to reduce foreign dependency. Görgün outlined three priorities for the region: rapid matching with main contractors, advancing the quality and certification of high-potential businesses, and integrating companies developing critical materials into global supply chains.