Turkish defense giant ASELSAN breaks export record

With a shipment of software-based radios to Ukraine, Turkish defense giant ASELSAN scored its biggest-ticket, single-shipment export to date, officials from the company told Anadolu Agency on Friday.

The company completed the deliveries of four of the radios and intercom systems under a contract signed with Ukraine's state-run Spets Techno Export, said the officials.

Ukraine is among the countries that use ASELSAN solutions to meet their armed forces' communication needs, and the first contract with Ukraine Spets Techno Export was signed in December 2016, followed by eight shipments under eight different contracts.

The latest is ASELSAN's largest single-shipment export by price tag to date.

ASELSAN, which has been delivering software-based tactical radio to the Ukrainian Armed Forces since 2017, launched a local production facility in the capital Kiev in October, taking into consideration the country's long-term needs.

With this move, the company aims to foster sustainable relations between Turkey and Ukraine and open the way for future cooperation.

Ukraine faces a number of security challenges, including a separatist war in Donbass, along its eastern border with Russia. Turkey supports Ukraine's territorial integrity.

ASELSAN was established in 1975 to develop national and original products in the wake of communication problems in the Turkish Armed Forces' 1974 Cyprus Peace Operation.

After recently boosting its experience in radio design and production, the company developed the ASELSAN military radio family, which includes national and original radio systems that can meet all usage needs in military platforms.

The company exports communications systems to more than 30 countries, prioritizing local needs and conditions to meet the needs of users.