ASELSAN aims to make Turkey world optics hub

ASELSAN, Turkey's leading defense industry company, aims to make Turkey a world hub for optics with the ASELSAN Precision Optics Factory, which began operating in a 5,000 square meters factory in Sivas Industrial Zone. The factory is expected to manufacture 100,000 optic lenses a year.

Precision optics, optical sets and optical devices exploiting the ultraviolet, visible and near infrared bandwidths will be manufactured at the Precision Optics Factory, while optic lenses for the defense industry will be designed, serialized, and used in the manufacturing of original and national weapon sights.The factory is expected to manufacture 100,000 optic lenses a year, and intends to pave the way for advanced technology and defense industry to expand countrywide. While the factory is also expected to improve collaboration between universities and industry, the research and development operations are based in a 500 square meter building located on the campus of Cumhuriyet University Technocity.

Employees in the factory were trained in ASELSAN's Akyurt facilities. Established in collaboration between ASELSAN and Sivas Optical Devices Industry and Trade Inc., ASELSAN Precision Optics Factory Executive Board Vice President Osman YIldırm said they intend to support the defense industry through the factory which opened on May 28.

Speaking to Anadolu Agency (AA), Osman Yıldırım said the intention was to make Sivas an optics hub. "We sent the first product we manufactured as an indirect export to Jordan, and now we send to the Philippines. Our operations meet the requirements from outside the country, and exports are in progress."

Recalling the successful manufacturing of national rifle scopes, Yıldırım said: "We are capable of manufacturing all the components for national rifle scopes. We want to be the only domestic firm manufacturing scopes in Sivas." Stressing Sivas's role in the development of domestic industry, Yıldırım pointed out that they wanted to cluster in Sivas, and their aim was to make Turkey world's optics hub. "We want to manufacture the optics for Göktürk Satellite here, too. Our goals and aims are big. Sivas has this potential and infrastructure. We want to meet the requirements of our national army and optics requirements in other fields." He added that they had ongoing projects to meet requirements for exporting infrared and night vision goggles.