Turkish defence industry companies have lately had record turnovers; they have improved so much that now they are included in international lists. USA based military publication establishment publishes Defense News magazine; ‘’Defense News Top 100’’ list is based on the comparison of every other year’s defense sales. The list is accepted as world’s most prestigious defense industry list; the number of Turkish companies in the list is increased from 5 to 7.
ASELSAN Company entered the list as 93rd in 2006, rose to 52nd last year and is ranked among the top 50 this year. The company operates for technological independency and development of Turkey. ASELSAN has made projects both in Turkey and abroad to improve it’s performance; the company’s defense industry turnover was valued at 1 billion 792 million dollars in 2018 and it was increased by 21 percent and became 2 billion 172 million dollars in 2019, this success raised the company to 48th.
ASELSAN made R&D on telecommunication systems, electronic warfare and radar systems, electrooptic systems, defense and weapon systems, avionic systems, command and control systems and naval systems in order to improve it’s capacity and performance.
Profound improvement from TUSAS Company
Boeing, Airbus, Lockheed, Martin, Northrop Grumman, Bombardier and Leonardo companies develop and produce aerial platforms for Turkey and TUSAS is one of the biggest suppliers of these companies. TUSAS entered the list as 83rd in 2011. The company had 1 billion 307 million dollars of defense industry turnover in 2018 and it was increased by 42 percent and became 1 billion 858 million dollars in 2019; TUSAS was listed as 69th in 2019 and it rose to 53rd this year.
TUSAS had a total 2 billion 266 million dollars of turnover last year and 18 percent of it was civil aviation share.
BMC maintains itself in the list
BMC produces armoured military vehicles and entered the list as 85th in 2019. The company had 554 million dollars of defense industry turnover in 2019; it is decreased to 533 million dollars and company listed as 89th in 2020. BMC is tasked with the mass production of Altay the main battle tank; the company also produces vehicles from different configurations such as buses, trucks, vehicles armoured against mines and tactical wheeled vehicle.
ROKETSAN and STM are on the list once again
ROKETSAN has a vision of ‘’being the leader establishment of rocket and missile systems’’ and increases the striking power of Turkish Military Forces and allied countries. ROKETSAN was ranked as 89th last year and is ranked as 91st this year. The company turnover is decreased by 1 percent and valued at 515 million dollars. The ROKETSAN products that have caught the attention lately are Bora, TRG-300 Kaplan, TRG-122 missile, Mini Smart Equipment MAM-C, Cirit the laser-guided missile, UMTAS and OMTAS the medium and long ranged antitank missiles, L-UMTAS the long ranged laser-guided antitank missile, SOM-J the precision guided stand-off equipment corresponded to SOM and JSF, Hisir the aerospace defense missile, Teber the laser guidance kit, Atmaca the Turkey’s first naval cruise missile and Sungur the aerospace defense system.
STM Defence Technologies Engineering and Trade Corporation drop by 7 ranks and is ranked as 92nd this year. The company turnover is decreased by 14 percent and valued at 485 million dollars. The corporation operates with the aim of meeting the defense need of Turkey with high-tech products, being competitive and innovative and developing smart solutions also in abroad. STM shines out with it’s work in military vessel designs and modernization, kamikaze unmanned aerial vehicles, innovative satellite technologies, radars behind the walls and cyber security solutions.
FNSS and HAVELSAN entered the list
FNSS produces armoured military vehicle for Turkish defense industry and entered the list as 98th this year. The company had 367 million dollars of turnover in 2018 and increased it to 374 million dollars. FNSS designs and produces tracked and wheeled armoured vehicles; the company is ranked among world leaders in this field. FNSS products are demanded from different countries; the company has sold over 4 thousand armoured combat vehicles till this day. FNSS has a vast product range from tracked armoured vehicles in 15 tons category, tanks in medium weighed category, 4×4 or 8×8 tactical wheeled armoured vehicles, mobile assault bridge to armoured engineer vehicle and unmanned towers.
HAVELSAN has entered the list for the first time this year. HAVELSAN develops software-based solutions for Turkish defense industry; the company turnover is increased by 6 percent and become 295 million dollars. HAVELSAN entered the list as 99th.
American companies had the first 5 ranks
8 new companies have entered the list for the first time this year. American companies had the first 5 ranks; Lockheed Martin with 50 billion 506 million dollars of turnover, Boeing with 34 billion 300 million dollars of turnover, General Dynamics with 29 billion 512 million dollars of turnover, Northrop Grumman with 28 billion 600 million dollars of turnover and Raytheon Company with 27 billion 448 million dollars of turnover were ranked in top 5.
source: AA / translated by Bazaar Team