A researcher from South Africa’s Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Mphahlela James Thaba, recently highlighted the potential for South Africa to emulate Turkey's defense sector strategy. Speaking at the Africa Aerospace and Defence Conference in Pretoria, Thaba noted that Turkey’s success stems from a cohesive integration of military requirements, industrial production, and scientific research. By fostering strong links between these sectors, Turkey has effectively reduced its dependence on imported defense technologies. Thaba emphasized that the growth of prominent Turkish firms like Baykar, ASELSAN, and TAI is largely due to consistent domestic demand and a structured feedback loop between engineers and military operators. He suggested that South Africa could achieve similar advancements by prioritizing sustained engineering efforts and targeted technological development to bolster its own sovereign defense capabilities.
Source : Turkish Minute
Photo : Turkish Minute
