One of the leading defense manufacturers Aselsan, along with Konya Defense Industry Inc., agreed on Friday to establish a facility in the central province of Konya to produce all defense tools and equipment needed by Turkey.

At a press conference held at the Justice and Development Party's (AK Party) Konya Provincial Election Coordination Center, AK Party Deputy Chairman Ahmet Sorgun said that an agreement was signed on the establishment of a company with the capital of TL 300 million ($64 million) in cooperation with Aselsan and Konya Defense Industry Inc.

Announcing that the project was signed by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on the way to the Kahramanmaraş rally, Sorgun stated that the project will take effect in the upcoming days. He added, "[This is] a study showing what kind of service concept the AK Party has. While the election campaign is ongoing on one hand, investments continue on the other."

Ziya Altunyaldız, AK Party Member of Parliament from Konya, who is also chairman of the Parliamentary Industry, Commerce, Energy, Natural Resources, Information and Technology Commission, noted that they have been following the project for a long time, adding that the project will be carried out in partnership with Aselsan and Konya Defense Industry Inc.,which is a world giant proceeding forward with steady steps.

He said that the project is aimed at the establishment, production, design and R&D of weapons systems and the establishment of an innovation center in Konya. Altunyaldız said that the facility will be built on a 35,000-square meter area in the fifth zone of the Konya Organized Industrial Zone with the capital of TL 300 million. Altunyaldız continued, "Here, weapon systems to meet our country's defense-related needs will be produced. The production will be done in Konya. An important step has been taken toward making Konya the defense industry production center of Anatolia."

Underlining that Turkey is growing in exports and production, Altunyaldız said that the defense industry continues to be the attractive power of Turkey in this regard. "With the facility to be established in Konya, the defense industry will further increase its $3.5 billion exports and Konya will become the backbone of the defense industry," he stated.