R&D Projects

Department Task and Responsibilities

Objectives

The main objectives of the R&D activities supported by Undersecratariat for Defense Industries are described as follows:

• Expanding R&D activities in Turkish Industry, and consequently achieving high technology and developing modern defense industry,
• By directing current local R&D potential to intermediate and long range military requirements, firstly dealing with projects that will provide development of a local technology base, and then using this base to acquire engineering development and manufacturing data package capabilities,
• Promoting basic research projects, which can significantly contribute to the development of national technology in the near future, and prototype development projects, that will allow the modernization or overhaul/ maintenance of the systems in the Turkish Armed Forces /TAF) service.
• Supporting and organizing multidisciplinary projects, for the optimization of the capabilities of universities and R&D institutions, along with industry participation.

R&D Policy

• In early 2000, the new R&D policy adopted by SSM was announced to all universities, research institutions and defence industry companies in order to increase the local content ratio and promote applied, technology-intensive R&D activities related to SSM’s “Main System Projects” that involve the development of products/sub-systems.
• Substituting the concept of “R&D Stage of a Project” for “R&D Project”, SSM aims to adapt the results of R&D programs to production and maximize their contribution to industry as a whole. Besides, SSM also undertakes the R&D activities allotted by “The Coordination Committee for National Defence Industry, Technology and R&D Activities (USTAK)”.

OTHER ACTIVITIES

• EDIG (Eurospace Defence Industry Group), AECMA (European Association of Aerospace Industry) and EUROSPACE merged with the associations in defence, civil, aeronautics and space industries to form ASD (Aerospace and Defence Industries Association of Europe) (01 January 2006). Being an EDIG member, SASAD (Defence Industries Manufacturers Association) has directly become the member of ASD. In this regard, SSM attends the meetings of Plan and Policy Commission and Technical Committee in order to support SASAD and to take initiatives within the scope of SSM’s mission.
• SSM R&D and Technology Management Department also participates in Defence and Aerospace Panel within VISION 2023; Technology Foresight Project coordinated by “The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBİTAK)”.