ASELSAN has reinforced its collaboration with universities by holding the “University-Defense Industry Alliance” ceremony at the ASELSAN Gölbaşı Technology Base. During the event, attended by Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz and Defense Industry President Prof. Dr. Haluk Görgün, the University-Defense Industry Collaboration Awards were presented. The ceremony also included the ASELSAN Academy graduation and the inauguration of six ASELABS laboratories established across three universities.
Investments and Production Targets
Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz highlighted that ASELSAN has become one of Türkiye’s most valuable companies due to its scale and production capacity. He also noted that the company has solidified its position among the world’s top 20 defense industry organizations. Yılmaz stated that the $1.75 billion investment initiated at the Oğulbey campus, once completed, will become Europe’s largest integrated air defense facility. He emphasized ASELSAN Academy’s structure, which accelerates the direct transformation of knowledge into technology. Furthermore, he underlined that projects conducted with 175 academics from 43 universities demonstrate the depth of this collaboration.
Academic Depth and Productization Strength
Defense Industry President Prof. Dr. Haluk Görgün described university-industry collaboration as a valuable development model. He explained that this model brings academic research closer to field needs. The combination of universities’ scientific depth and industry’s productization capacity advances Türkiye’s competitiveness in strategic technologies, creating strong synergy.
Future Technologies and ASELABS Laboratories
ASELSAN CEO Ahmet Akyol announced that the company is in a period of mass production mobilization. He stated that 286,000 products were delivered in 2025, and ASELSAN aims to produce over 400,000 products this year. He added that the ASELABS laboratories, which have received $30 million in investment to date, will focus on game-changing technologies for the future. These centers will also bring together ASELSAN employees, researchers, and students.
In this context, new laboratories were established at:
- Middle East Technical University (METU): Next-Generation Communication and Sensing Technologies, Optomechanical and Photonic Advanced Material Technologies, and MEMS Inertial Sensor Technologies.
- Istanbul Technical University (ITU): RF Microwave Innovative Material Technologies, and Underwater, Surface, and Autonomy Technologies.
- Hacettepe University: Artificial Intelligence Technologies Laboratory.
These laboratories enable joint research between academics and engineers. In addition, they open the way for students to develop technologies capable of competing on a global scale.
ASELSAN Academy Model in University-Industry Collaboration
The ASELSAN Academy 2024-2025 academic year graduation ceremony was also held during the event. Under the auspices of the Council of Higher Education (YÖK) and in collaboration with Gazi University, Gebze Technical University, Hacettepe University, Istanbul Technical University, and METU, the program allows employees to pursue graduate studies without leaving the ASELSAN campus. In total, 1,001 employees are currently enrolled, and 95 employees graduated in the 2024-2025 period (86 master’s and 9 Ph.D. degrees). To date, the total number of graduates from the program has reached 556.
Source: C4Defence-ASELSAN
