© Defence Turkey YALTES: “We are Ready to Compete Fairly with All Companies with Proven Solutions!” Though 100% owned by Thales Group, the entire Defence Turkey: Can we (TNL). Taking the offset YALTES staff is Turkish. In time, having evolved start this interview with liabilities of Thales into from a company structure which conducted a brief introduction of consideration, the the production of designed products as per the YALTES founded in 2002 as initial target during the provided the production documents, YALTES has a Turkish company with a establishment of the transformed into a company structure that makes foreign enterprise (Thales company may be regarded fully indigenous designs, develops indigenous Netherlands/TNL)? Why was as manufacturing equipment solutions for Combat Management Systems (CMS) this company established and developing software and Integrated Platform Management System and what has it achieved for Combat Management (IPMS) for naval platforms, manufactures, delivers over the last 19 years? To Systems. In this stage which and offers maintenance and repair services for what extent has YALTES we may refer to as the initial these solutions. In the special interview we recently achieved initial targets set stage, over 200 consoles and conducted with YALTES General Manager Bülent in the beginning? cabinets (3rd Generation) HAMZAOĞLU, we discuss the milestones of the were manufactured, and Bülent HAMZAOĞLU: aforementioned transformation, R&D activities, various software business YALTES was established in the company’s competitive power in domestic packages were developed 2002 with the partnership and global markets, their ongoing projects and for TNL. The manufactured between the Yalçın Group export activities. products are currently and Thales Netherlands 44 performing successfully CMS development activities YONCA-ONUK Business Defence Turkey: What are over the platforms of as part of the GENESİS and Partnership in relation to your views on YALTES’ more than 20 countries, MİLGEM Projects. different projects designed current organizational including Turkey. (YALTES for Turkmenistan, Qatar and structure, staff and was later assigned as a Within the scope of the Pakistan. These are export employee profile, its center of excellence by TNL MİLGEM Project, YALTES activities. performance and turnover in console designing and developed a solution in the in 2020 which was manufacturing for Combat area of Integrated Platform In the fourth stage, YALTES shadowed by the COVID-19 Management Systems. Management System has been assigned to supply pandemic, and what Design, production and (IPMS), another critical the equipment and sub- expectations and targets qualification activities of mission system. In the first system of the MÜREN-AY are outlined for 2021? 4th Generation consoles two ships of the project, and MÜREN-PREVEZE Bülent HAMZAOĞLU: in different types have after enabling a proven Systems according to Despite the fact, that been conducted by our solution by a partnership a series of contracts it YALTES is a 100% Thales company since 2014. Our with a foreign technology signed with TÜBİTAK since Group Company it has been products related to these company, we accomplished 2016. To that end, the developing indigenous consoles are being utilized an R&D project with our design, production and and national solutions in the inventories of over 10 resources and provided qualification of the entirely with its entirely Turkish countries.) an entirely indigenous indigenous and national and national solution to consoles and cabinets staff and the Ministry Later, in the second stage, the following vessels with of various types were of National Defense’s with the Uzun Ufuk (Long a domestic participation accomplished featuring (MoND) Production Horizon/Integrated rate of around 80%. In this higher level requirements License, Individual and Maritime Surveillance way, YALTES owned an and that would be used in Facility Security and System), GENESİS and indigenous solution, too. submarines in Turkey. AQAP Certificates. Most MİLGEM Projects, YALTES of our designed and launched its activities in With its performance in the Since 2020, YALTES has manufactured solutions Naval Mission Systems first and second stages I been assigned as the sole are regarded as indigenous on a project basis. YALTES mentioned earlier, YALTES authorized representative products even among the played a critical role in took part in the NTPB, in technical support, products of Thales Group. the development of the LST, LDG (Logistic Support spare parts, repair and In this context, a remarkable first national Combat Ship), LHD, DİMDEG modernization if required, part of our turnover is being Management System (Replenishment at Sea regarding the Thales exported to the Thales (CMS) GENESİS (the starting and Combat Support Group Companies’ systems Group. In short, we are point of the GENESİS- Ship, TVEG/TTS, SAT installed in Turkey and in proud to be a member of ADVENT used presently) Boat, BARBAROS Mid-Life the region and started to the Thales Group, which is which was developed Upgrade Project and I-Class deliver services accordingly. among the few technology indigenously by the Turkish Frigate Projects executed Another company, YALTES groups in the world and a Naval Forces. With the for the Turkish Naval BV, was established in company striving to develop Operator Consoles and Forces in both Combat 2021 to be in charge of indigenous and national Cabinets with indigenous Management System the attaché procurements solutions with technological and national design and (CMS) and Integrated particularly for the Turkish and administrative qualification, YALTES Platform Management Naval Forces platforms. advantages while creating started to supply the System (IPMS) areas with Through this type of export opportunities. GENESİS CMS equipment. Defense Industry contracts organizational structure and The organizational By remarkably contributing with companies such as by using YALTES’ industrial structure of YALTES can to the interface software ASELSAN, HAVELSAN, STM, power, we aim to provide be defined as the R&D of critical systems such METEKSAN and ARMELSAN faster and high-quality Engineering Department, as the 3D Radar, Tracking and the contracts it signed services by eliminating which comprises 50% Radar, RAM System and with DEARSAN, SELAH, the intermediaries and of the employees, the Torpedo System and to SEDEF, YONCA-ONUK and to increase customer Production Department CMS software development ADİK Shipyards. Likewise, satisfaction. featuring the 25% of the activities, YALTES we assume roles in the Following the transfer of staff, the Administrative supported the production projects - either completed Yalçın Group’s shares to the Department is composed of this system, and as a or ongoing - in line with Thales Group in 2011, YALTES of the 20% of the employees project made our country the various contracts with has been continuing its and Support Department proud. YALTES provided the ASFAR, ASELSAN, activities as a 100% Thales that contains the remaining over 100,000-man hours HAVELSAN, METEKSAN, Group Company. 5%. YALTES is mainly an of engineering services to DEARSAN Shipyard and 45 engineering company. In Teknopark Istanbul from (such as mechanical successful transformation this sense, 75% of our staff its original headquarters production, assembly and towards an engineering, comprises engineers and where it was founded in sub-unit production) while design and manufacturing the remaining 25% is a 2002. This transfer had the final assembly, test and infrastructure blended blend of supporting staff two goals; the first was to integration activities are with the company’s unique and qualified technicians. decrease the costs incurred executed in our facilities R&D capability? Has your Moreover, by building an due to being located as a and the products are then foreign partner Thales ecosystem in its activity defense industry company delivered. All our technicians Netherlands contributed areas, YALTES also provides in an independent building. have an IPC Certificate, and to this process? added value to domestic The second objective these certifications are Bülent HAMZAOĞLU: As companies in terms of was to benefit from the renewed within the required you have indicated quite design, production, and synergy built at Turkey’s terms. clearly, YALTES evolved into qualification. most modern Teknopark a structure that develops that focuses on defense With over 50 engineers, indigenous products Despite the negative industry and maritime. Thus, YALTES has the capacity and solutions from a impacts of the COVID-19 as a result we have been to develop hardware and company where products pandemic, YALTES among leading companies software with 100,000 man- designed previously concluded 2020 quite in the defense industry and hours yearly. Thanks to the were manufactured successfully and exceeded have had the opportunity eco-system we created, based on the production its targets regarding new to collaborate with small- over 25,000 man-hours documents. The catalyzer orders and sales. In this scale companies with high of engineering support is at this point has been the context, we received new added value, and this has being provided by our sub- growing potential that orders amounting to affected our business quite contractors. In terms of started with the MİLGEM over TRY 150 million and positively. Hereby, I would production, the company Project since 2004 and the achieved sales worth