Turkey on Thursday successfully test-fired a domestically developed 76 mm naval gun, which is expected to replace the similar ammunition normally imported from abroad, Daily Sabah has reported.
The 76 mm naval gun was developed by Machinery and Chemical Industry (MKE), a state-owned gun and ammunition manufacturer, and was unveiled for the first time during this year's International Defense Fair last August in Istanbul.
MKE's 76 mm naval gun has a range of 16 kilometers (9.9 miles). Its barrel dimensions are 76 mm in diameter and 4.7 mm in length.
The Italian made naval gun currently arms a variety of Turkish warships, including G-class frigates, Ada-class corvettes built under the MILGEM (National Ship) project, and fast attack crafts.
Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said that domestic production is not a choice for Turkey but a necessity.
Turkey has successfully test-fired its high-altitude long-range air defense missile system, Siper, Ismail Demir, the head of Presidency of Defense Industries (SSB), tweeted on November 6.
Different tests of the domestic air defense system, which is planned to enter the army's inventory in 2023, will continue, he said adding: Turkey will continue to produce new weapons and will have up to six different air defense systems.
Besides Siper, which is expected to rival
Russia's S-400, the Korkut, Sungur and
Hisar air defense systems are also in place, systems set to outline a layered
air defense for the country, as mentioned several times by the officials.
Embargoes and sanctions have pushed Turkey to build dozens of its own defense products on its journey to ensure a self-sufficient military, slashing dependency on foreign procurements.
Turkey advances toward 'fully independent' defense industry
Turkey's defense industry has initiated pivotal projects in recent years under the leadership of the Presidency of Defenses Industries (SSB), covering huge ground on its mission to cut the country's dependency on others and become a major competitor among the world's largest arms exporters.
SSB head Ismail Demir, speaking on the 36th anniversary of the SSB's establishment, told Anadolu Agency (AA) that the institution became an official state body during the Republican era after the country faced many internal and external obstacles.
In 1985, when Turgut Ã-zal was prime minister, the Defense Industry Development and Support Administration (SAGEB) was established to develop the domestic defense industry and modernize the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK). The institution, which later changed its structure and became the Undersecretariat for Defense Industries, focused on international joint programs with domestic production and offset projects until the 2000s.
He said that external pressures and arms embargoes particularly increased after Turkey's 1974 Cyprus Peace Operation and once again revealed the need for a self-sufficient defense industry.
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