Fahri Aksut and Efe Ozkan
20 August 2026•Update: 20 August 2026
The seas and the navy hold strategic importance for Türkiye given its geographical location, defense manufacturer ASELSAN CEO Ahmet Akyol said on Thursday.
“The fate of our 86 million citizens and of friendly nations that have pinned their hopes on Türkiye will be shaped by our strength at sea. For this reason, there is a greater need than ever for a strong navy,” Akyol said as Türkiye's premier naval defense event, TEKNOFEST Blue Homeland, kicked off at the Golcuk Naval Shipyard Command in Kocaeli province.
Anadolu is serving as the global communications partner of the four-day expo, which showcases Türkiye's naval capabilities, underwater technologies, and a range of defense products, from naval platforms and unmanned systems to aircraft, air defense, and missile systems.
“Our ancestors who settled in Anatolia were aware from the very beginning that the fate of this region was determined not only on land but also at sea. Today, too, the fate of our 86 million citizens and of friendly nations that have pinned their hopes on Türkiye will be shaped by our strength at sea. For this reason, we need a strong navy more than ever,” Akyol said.
He said shipbuilding would resume at the Golcuk shipyard after a long hiatus, and that the MILDEN submarine, developed entirely with domestic capabilities, would also be produced at the facility.
Emphasizing that this step is of great value for both Kocaeli and Türkiye, Akyol said: “As a native of this city, I am proud to announce here that, in order to support ASELSAN’s activities, we have also begun construction on a new facility in addition to our existing one at the shipyard.”
