A new domestic production initiative aimed at reducing foreign dependency in Türkiye’s defense industry has been launched through a partnership between Hitit University and FNSS Defense Systems Inc. The project seeks to establish a scientific infrastructure to produce high-strength aluminum alloys—used in strategic defense components—at the highest quality using local resources. According to Hitit University, the project has been approved for support under the TÜBİTAK-TEYDEB-1505 University-Industry Collaboration Support Program.

The project is led by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Öncü Akyıldız from Hitit University’s Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering. Akyıldız stated that the study will explore the structure-processing-property relationships of high-strength aluminum alloys through both experimental and computational methods. By combining computational materials engineering with hands-on testing, the research aims to determine the optimal manufacturing parameters that yield the best mechanical properties. This will enable higher quality and efficiency in the production of critical components for defense applications.

Akyıldız emphasized that producing such advanced materials requires precise control of forging parameters and thermomechanical processes, which is often a time-consuming and costly endeavor. “Through this collaborative project, we aim to accelerate technology development and strengthen the scientific foundation needed to advance Türkiye’s defense manufacturing capabilities,” he said.

Barış Çetin, project representative from FNSS, noted that many of the aluminum alloys used in the project are currently imported from abroad, highlighting the strategic importance of localization. He added that the initiative will mark a significant step toward developing national material technologies, ensuring that critical materials used in defense platforms can be produced domestically. The partnership between academia and industry is expected to bolster Türkiye’s capacity to design and manufacture high-performance defense materials independently.