As artificial intelligence reshapes the global defense sector, the Turkish defense industry is harnessing the technology to enhance its missiles' target identification and elimination capabilities with unprecedented precision, according to a top executive of a leading company.
Murat Ikinci, CEO of Turkish defense firm Roketsan, outlined the profound impact of AI on military technologies during a talent summit at Istanbul's Boğaziçi University’s Albert Long Hall on Tuesday.
Ikinci said AI makes missiles smarter by improving their ability to lock onto targets and neutralize specific targets posing a direct threat.
"Artificial intelligence is transforming many fields of work, and it is profoundly impacting the defense sector as well. AI is working to enable our missiles to more accurately track their targets and to bring them to a much smarter stage so that they can eliminate only the elements that threaten you," Anadolu Agency (AA) quoted him as saying.
He added that the Turkish defense industry has reached a level where it can compete with global firms that have marginally more experience.
Ikinci also noted that Roketsan manufactures a wide range of advanced weaponry, including ballistic and cruise missiles, as well as the multilayered combined air defense system Steel Dome, which is designed to intercept incoming attacks.
He said that Roketsan, Türkiye’s third-largest research and development organization, employs over 7,000 staff members to independently develop technologies that other countries do not share in open resources with other countries.
Türkiye’s defense sector is heavily technology-driven and boasts a workforce that "brings together all of the engineering disciplines one can think of," he noted.
"Our defense is supported by fundamental sciences like physics and chemistry. When the most successful people in these fields collaborate, one can achieve the technology needed to bring a missile to life," he further said.
Moreover, Ikinci stated that Roketsan recorded a massive surge of 50% growth in U.S. dollar terms, while posting a worldwide export growth volume increase of over 55%.
As one of NATO’s largest defense allies, Türkiye’s advanced technology products have become highly sought after by European and international partners.
Ikinci emphasized that a strong national defense sector provides critical support and intervention capabilities beyond Türkiye’s own security needs.
"Where we see injustice, we can offer technologies and products to eliminate the threat of our allied and friend nations," he added.