Defence industry: Two Turkish companies among world giants

Turkish Aerospace Industries, Inc. (TAI) has entered the list of world's 100 biggest defense industry companies for the first time in 2012, as Anatolia news agency reports. In a listing made by the Defense News magazine, Turkey's Military Electronics Industry company, ASELSAN, went up four spots in 2012 and was ranked 76th while TAI was ranked 83rd. The "Defense News Top 100" is considered to be the most prestigious list of its kind in the world. ASELSAN is a Turkish corporation which produces tactical military radios and defense electronic systems for the Turkish Army. Turkish Aerospace Industries, Inc. (TAI) was established by Turkish and US partners in 1984 for the co-production of F-16 aircraft in Turkey. As a result of the acquisition of foreign shares Turkish shareholders, the company was restructured in the year 2005 and TAI became Turkey's center of technology in design, development, modernization, manufacturing, integration and life cycle support of integrated aerospace systems, from fixed and rotary wing air platforms to UAVs and satellites.