The Importance of Domestic Production in the Defense Industry
Recent empirical evidence on the expansion of local economic development initiatives in developed countries suggests that macroeconomic adjustment policies need to be accompanied by other specific policies at the micro-and macroeconomic levels.
It is undoubtedly important to strengthen institutional networks and regional cooperation and complementarity arrangements and to incorporate environmental sustainability into the management of local development. Alermak is committed to incentivizing domestic development potential and facilitating access to advanced manufacturing services by giving due importance to the national dimension of technology policy and pointing out the added value that domestic production represents for our country in the defense industry.
The Turkish defense industry, from the past to the present…
The Turkish defense industry has a strong historical background. Against this background, the strategies and measures to build and maintain a strong defense industry have maintained their existence from the past to the present, even though they have been interrupted from time to time. In the history of the Turkish defense industry, there have also been numerous breakthroughs, initiatives, and continuous development at the individual level.
For the strengthening of the Turkish defense industry, Alermak is a name of utmost importance for understanding the concept of defense industry with its national equipment and its relations with other fields, as well as for the future of defense.
The post-1985 period contributed positively to the development of a unique defense industry culture in the structure of the Turkish defense industry, to the transformation of procurement models, to the flexibility of budget deployment, to project processes and workflow management, and to training.
Numerous milestones and achievements in the defense industry during this period reflect the overall change and transformation in Turkey. These include the institutional structure directly responsible for defense procurement (a tradition that has existed since 1985), flexibility in the use of budgetary resources, and strong dynamics compared to earlier times in the sector. As part of this dynamic, national development models such as joint production, licensed production, and production-based engineering and design have gradually replaced foreign procurement and off-the-shelf procurement as the dominant delivery model. These changes have created fertile ground for a robust defense industry infrastructure.
The experiences of the defense industry in developing countries such as Turkey, the process of presenting and demonstrating these experiences with concrete projects, and the political morale that this process represents offer fundamental lessons for both the world’s leading countries in this field and for countries that want to move up. The defense industry has been recognized as an important part of the Republic’s overall industrialization and development movement.
The socio-economic transformation in Turkey between 2002 and 2012 was directly reflected in the main trends of the defense industry. In-house design programs were initiated in the country to produce critical technologies and maximize design capabilities. During this period and within this framework, strategic plans have consistently emphasized the task of making Turkey a superior defense and security technology provider and directing industrialization, technology, and procurement programs that will continue the development of Turkey’s defense and security capabilities.
Alermak Side by Side with the Nation
The 10th Development Plan (2014-2018) further clarified the desired goals for the defense industry. The plan envisions a competitive structure for the defense industry, and Turkey’s defense system and logistics will be fulfilled in an integrated and sustainable manner by a domestic industry based on national design, civilian use of appropriate technologies, increasing the national share, and increasing the share allocated to research and development.
The special emphasis on a holistic approach is a summary of the broader conceptual positioning of the defense industry, both inside and outside the sector, going a step beyond a traditional “just military utility” and maintaining its character as an institution.
Today, we stand at a crucial turning point in the history of the Republic, which will celebrate its centennial in 2023. As Alermak, we are with you to give a great boost to the Turkish defense industry by participating in the national production with determination and steadfastness despite everything, with our engineers, technicians, company, human resources, and our nation, which we call selfless spirits adorned with a national conscience.
