2023 to mark turning point in Türkiye’s defense industry: Erdoğan

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has said they would announce more "good news" in the local defense industry in 2023, saying that this year will be a turning point in the industry.

"We are determined to make 2023 a turning point in the defense industry along with other fields. The year 2023 will be a year full of good news, with very important developments that will make everyone proud," Erdoğan said, speaking at the delivery ceremony of new generation Fırtına howitzers on Jan. 9.

"We're going to get the [National Combat Aircraft] MMU out of the hangar and show it to the world. Bayraktar Kızılelma's flight maneuver tests will be carried out. This year, we are putting Anadolu, which will be the first SİHA ship, into service," he added.

While only 56 companies were operating in the defense industry in 2002, today this number has exceeded 2,000 and the country's defense exports, which were only $248 million 20 years ago, broke a record with $4.4 billion last year, Erdoğan stated.

Six new generation Fırtına howitzers are delivered at the ceremony in BMC company's Arifiye facility in Sakarya province, and this number will increase to 140 in the coming period, the president said.

The new generation Fırtına howitzers have many advantages compared to the models currently in the inventory, he said, adding that both the survivability and firepower of our howitzers have been increased.

"Among the added capabilities, there are many critical elements such as new generation fire control, automatic ammunition loading, driver's vision, automatic fire extinguishing, air conditioning, remote control weapon, renewed track suspension equipment and new generation auxiliary power group," he stated.

With these systems, Türkiye will also...