Presidency Defense Industry (SSB) President Haluk Görgün, regarding the visit of the Belgian delegation to Turkey, said, “These things do not happen in one day. First, you sit at the same tables, you listen to each other. Then the companies get to know each other, the institutions start to trust each other. After that, concrete areas of cooperation emerge.” he said. Görgün made evaluations to the AA correspondent about the Belgian Economic Mission’s visit to Türkiye.
Explaining that the developments with Belgium should not be read as just the activity of the last few days, Görgün said: “The picture that emerged today is a result of the contacts that have been going on for a certain period of time, mutual trust and the capabilities that have proven themselves in the field. Belgium came to Turkey with a very strong delegation. There are representatives from different fields, from defense to aviation, from technology to industry.
This shows us that Turkey is no longer a country that is followed only with its products. Turkey has become a defense industry ecosystem where it is desired to work together and produce together.” We, of course, welcome this interest. But we also know that permanent cooperation in the defense industry cannot be achieved only with good intentions. “There will be trust, there will be capability, there will be a meaningful basis of benefit for both parties.” Görgün emphasized that Belgian Defense Minister Theo Francken’s statements about the Turkish defense industry, such as “Türkiye is far ahead of us, we need to accelerate”, also show how the point Turkey has reached is seen from the outside.
Pointing out that the character of war is changing very rapidly today, Görgün said: “Unmanned systems, artificial intelligence, electronic warfare, anti-drone technologies, rapid production capability… All of these have now become decisive in the field. Türkiye learned about this change early. We didn’t just develop a product. We have established a whole structure from design to production, from subsystems to software, from ammunition to maintenance.
Our Belgian friends see this too. What they see in Baykar, TUSAŞ, ASELSAN, ROKETSAN, HAVELSAN and our other companies is not just individual products. There is a serious engineering background, production discipline, field experience and quick decision-making ability. This naturally arouses interest.” “Today’s photo did not emerge spontaneously” Haluk Görgün pointed out that the process between Belgium and Türkiye was not an instantaneous situation.
Making evaluations about the background of the last visit, Görgün continued his words as follows: “These things do not happen in one day. First, you sit at the same tables, you listen to each other. Then the companies get to know each other, the institutions start to trust each other. After that, concrete areas of cooperation emerge. Last year, we were on the same panel with Mr. Francken within the scope of the NATO Summit.
Afterwards, we had contacts at IDEF. We held the first Türkiye-Belgium Defense Industry Industry Day in Brussels. There, our companies had a meeting with their Belgian counterparts.” “We now see that this process continues with a broader economic mission in Ankara, at our Presidency of Defense Industries. In other words, today’s picture is not a picture that emerged spontaneously. There is a process that is carried out, followed and matured step by step.
Today, we see that this has started to turn into concrete outputs.” Stating that the Letter of Intent signed as a result of the meetings was an important step, Görgün emphasized that if such texts are followed correctly, they will not remain just a diplomatic document. Görgün made the following evaluations: “This turns into a framework that directs institutions, companies and decision-makers to the same goal. Our approach here is that the defense industry relationship between Turkey and Belgium should not be just a buying-selling relationship.
Of course, there will be trade, there will be products, there will be projects. But it is necessary to go beyond this. There may be joint development, joint production, joint action in third markets. Solutions to NATO’s needs can be produced together. Belgium has areas of strength, such as sensitive components, advanced materials, space technologies, special defense electronics. Turkey also proves itself in the field.
“It has proven systems, fast production capacity and a wide industrial network. When you bring these together correctly, serious value emerges for both parties.” “Security is not something that can be imported” Görgün, drawing attention to the developments in the world within the framework of security architecture and strategic autonomy, said: “We need to say this very clearly: You can buy many things in the world. You can buy a product, you can buy a machine, you can outsource some technologies.
But security is not such a thing. Security is not something that can be imported. Every country has to establish its own security architecture. It has to be able to make its own decisions in times of crisis, protect its own citizens and keep its own system afloat. We have all seen this recently during the Covid period. There was a public health crisis, but some countries even confiscated medical supplies destined for other countries.
That day, everyone saw this very clearly: When a crisis comes, no one looks at anyone’s tears. Each country has to produce its own solution first. We are going through a similar period today. We can define the period we are currently going through as a ‘geopolitical pandemic’. Crises no longer start in one region and stay there, they trigger each other and spread. A political crisis can turn into an energy crisis, and an energy crisis can turn into a supply crisis and affect the whole world.
In such a world, you cannot be at anyone’s mercy. As Türkiye, we saw this fact early. We were not caught unprepared for this pandemic. Of course, it is necessary to read carefully the attitude of our President on this issue. Türkiye has reached these days with the steps taken by our President and the defense industry policies he produced.” “We are open to collaborations that increase the common benefit.” Emphasizing that Turkey has built its own defense industry, its own engineering power and its own production capability with the work carried out in line with President Erdoğan’s vision, Görgün said, “At the point we have reached today, we say this to our friendly and allied countries: We do not propose a closed model.
On the contrary; We are open to collaborations that are based on win-win principles, strengthen everyone’s own ecosystem, and increase common benefit. In other words, we want friendly and allied countries to be able to overcome this geopolitical pandemic with minimal damage. This is our offer. We say, let’s prepare together not only for today’s needs but also for tomorrow’s security challenges. “The Belgian state was one of the countries that heeded our call.” he said.
“Our goal is to turn this interest into permanent projects” Haluk Görgün said that their goal is to turn this interest of Belgium into permanent projects. Pointing out that there is a very strong motivation today, Görgün concluded his words as follows: “Companies know each other, institutions sit at the same table, and political will supports this process. The important thing now is not to lose this momentum. There is a wide field from platforms to subsystems, from unmanned systems to the maritime field, from electronic systems to ammunition and technology solutions.
But we do not see the issue only as ‘What to sell today, what to buy tomorrow’. We look at the longer term. The Turkish defense industry is no longer a structure that only responds to its own needs. It works with its allies.” “We are a force that produces solutions together, contributes to common security, and has a counterpart in the field. We are advancing with this understanding in our relations with Belgium. We want a sincere, balanced, long-term and result-producing partnership.
I think today’s contacts are not just a strong beginning in this direction, but actually a strong continuation.” Source: AA
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