Ankara Chamber of Industry (ASO) Chairman Seyit Ardıç outlined plans to prepare member companies for NATO’s updated defense supply chain regulations, emphasizing the need for Turkish SMEs to adapt and compete globally.
Why it matters
- ASO will conduct a capacity inventory of its members and organize training programs to align with NATO’s evolving defense procurement standards.
- Ardıç noted that SMEs have already proven successful in the supply chains of major defense contractors, and the goal is to support their development of indigenous products and technologies.
- Ankara’s manufacturing employment growth has reached 5.7 times the national average, reflecting deepening industrialization in high-tech sectors such as defense and aviation.
Speaking at ASO’s August general assembly meeting, Ardıç highlighted the rise in Turkish contracting firms, citing that 48 Turkish companies appear on the World’s Top 250 International Contractors List, 22 of which are based in Ankara. He stressed that strategic incentives, long-term financing, and public procurement have become essential tools in global competition, referencing China’s success in this domain. Ardıç emphasized that defense industry, cybersecurity, satellite, and radar systems are core components of national security, and international competition now centers on developing critical technologies and shaping global value chains.
He warned against allowing anti-inflation policies to trigger deindustrialization, calling for simpler and more predictable monetary policy. While Ankara has re-industrialized in high-tech and knowledge-intensive sectors, traditional manufacturing layers face deindustrialization pressures. Ardıç pointed to the 2026 NATO Ankara Summit as a new opportunity for urban industry, underscoring the strategic importance of NATO’s shifting defense production and supply framework. He stressed that documented and visible production capacity in international systems holds strategic value. ASO will assess members’ readiness levels, use capacity reports to build an inventory of Ankara’s industrially searchable capabilities, and support firms with coding, technical documentation, testing, and certification processes, including developing a model contract guide. Additionally, ASO will work to ensure Ankara industry’s views are reflected in national decision-making during NATO’s implementation planning.
This initiative reflects how NATO’s defense supply chain evolution could create new opportunities for Turkish industry. ASO’s steps may enhance the visibility of SMEs in international supply chains and strengthen Turkey’s defense industrial competitiveness. Furthermore, post-NATO summit transformation in defense supply could deepen cooperation with allied nations.