Professor Demir was appointed Undersecretary of Defence Industries (SSM) on April 12, 2014. SSM was an Undersecretariat under the Ministry of National Defence at that time. Later it was attached to the Presidency in December 2017. In 2018, it was restructured with the Presidential Government System under the name of Defence Industry Agency, and he was called president.
When Demir took office, Turkiye’s defence and aerospace exports were $1.5 billion in 2014. It reached $4.4 billion in 2022. Defence and aerospace turnover, $5.1 billion in 2004, reached $12.2 billion by the end of 2022. While 361 defence projects were carried out in 2014, this number exceeded 810 in 2023.
Professor Demir is now appointed to Kardemir as the board of directors chairman. Kardemir is Turkiye’s first integrated iron and steel factory, and the name means “Karabük Iron and Steel Works, located in the Karabük district in the Black Sea region.
The Milestones in the last nine Years:
• Turkish Fighter Jet KAAN started its taxi tests.
• Bayraktar KIZILELMA UCAV, HURJET, T625 GÖKBEY Utility Helicopter performed their maiden flights.
• T129 ATAK Attack Helicopter entered the inventory.
• Intelligence Ship TCG UFUK entered the inventory
• TCG Anadolu LHD was delivered to the Navy
• The first İstif Class Frigate ISTANBUL, built under the MilGEM project, was launched
• Short-range air defence System KORKUT entered the inventory
• Tactical UAV BAYRAKTAR TB2 entered the inventory
• Modern Infantry Rifle MPT-76, MPT-55 entered the inventory
• Anti-Ship Missile ATMACA entered the inventory
• UAV Engine PD170 delivered
• UCAV AKINCI entered the inventory
• SONDA ROCKET launched into space
• Mass production of the Armed Unmanned Surface Vehicle ULAQ has begun
• Heavy Class Torpedo AKYA delivered
• Medium Altitude Air Defence System HİSAR entered the inventory
• First shot of the Long-Range Air Defence System SİPER was conducted
• Turbojet Missile Engine KTJ3200 delivered
• Helicopter Engine TS1400 project started
Key milestones in 2023
• IMECE Earth Observation Satellite launched into space
• KILIÇSAT Cube Satellite launched into space
• GÖKDENİZ Close Air Defence System started to be integrated into ships
• Armoured Amphibious Assault Vehicle MAV was delivered to the Navy
• MERTER Backpack Type Electronic Attack System was delivered
• Two ALTAY MBTs were delivered to the Turkish Armed Forces for test purposes
• Tailless Stealth ANKA3 started taxi tests
• GÖKBEY performed its first flight with the TS1400 engine
• Heavy Class Attack Helicopter ATAK2 performed its maiden flight
• A cruise missile ÇAKIR was launched from a UCAV AKINCI
• A torpedo shot was carried out from an unmanned AUSV MİR
• Delivery of 8x8 Wheeled Rescue Vehicles was performed
• Sheet metal cutting of MİLGEM İstif Class Frigates 6, 7 and 8 vessels were done
• ULAK 4.5G base station was integrated into Anka UAV, and the first audio and video communication was realised.
• 8 billion TL investment and employment program for 2500 people was initiated in the Earthquake Zone
• The first F16s, whose avionics modernisation was completed as part of the ÖZGÜR Project, were delivered
• The test firing of TAYFUN, Turkiye’s longest-range Ballistic Missile, was successfully carried out for the second time
