Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey

The Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Türkiye (TOBB), TOBB University of Economics and Technology (ETU) and ASELSAN joined forces in the technological field under the coordination of the Presidency of Defense Industries. With the ceremony held at TOBB ETU Technology Center, Kuantum Technologies Research Laboratory was put into service.  In addition, TOBB and ASELSAN signed protocols for the Nationalization and Supplier Development Program for SMEs and the allocation of the Technology Center R&D Laboratory. TOBB President M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu, President of the Presidency of Defense Industry Prof. Dr. İsmail Demir, Chairman and General Manager of Aselsan Prof. Dr. Haluk Görgün, TOBB ETU Rector Prof. Dr. Yusuf Sarınay and TOBB UYUM Chairman Cemil Çiçek attended the ceremony.

TOBB President M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu, in his evaluation of the cooperation, pointed out that they have started new collaborations with Aselsan, which has become a world brand, and said, “We, as a nation, first missed the agricultural revolution and then the industrial revolution. And we've had the trouble of that for decades. Now the world is on the brink of a new technological revolution. We want to catch up with it before it's too late.”

Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that by opening ASELSAN's quantum and advanced communication laboratory at TOBB ETU, they aim to accelerate R&D and innovation studies, strengthen human resources, increase international cooperation and competitiveness and strengthen university-industry cooperation. TOBB President Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that with the two protocols they signed, they aimed to increase the number of SMEs that could participate in Aselsan's supply chain in the defense industry sector, so that more SMEs would contribute to Aselsan's indigenization and nationalization programs.  Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “With this protocol, we aim to bring our member companies to the defense industry ecosystem in the development of ASELSAN. We also want our country to provide more incentives and supports to the companies that will take part in the independent defense industry mobilization.”

- Strategic areas nationalization and indigenization

In his speech at the ceremony, İsmail Demir, President of the Presidency of Defense Industries, emphasized that they did not compromise on nationalization and indigenization, especially in strategic areas.

Demir said that they attach great importance to the steps in the field of quantum technologies and that Türkiye can move forward in such technologies with a holistic and inclusive approach. Stating that they attach great importance to the support of TOBB, the umbrella organization of the business world, Prof. Dr. İsmail Demir said, “We will walk together, we have no choice but to succeed.”

Demir Babur added that they are based on an inclusive approach from universities to government institutions to research institutions and that they are all working together on this issue.

ASELSAN Chairman and General Manager Prof. Dr. Haluk Görgün stated that they have realized an important example of university-industry partnership with this cooperation, and that TOBB has a wide network in Anatolia and that ASELSAN brings together the technological projects in the field of quantum and the power of TOBB ETU. Görgün said, “With the cooperation of TOBB, we find it valuable to reach companies from all over Türkiye on the way to the independent defense industry.”