Abhishek G BhayaTürkiye is not content with following global defence trends but is determined to set them, says Ozgur Guleryuz, General Manager of STM – the defence firm that built the country’s first frigate and produces the lethal KARGU drones – as he stressed the ambition to “create new technologies” rather than simply catching up.
“We do not want to catch the technology that already exists. We really want to go ahead, maybe even create new technologies and start the race at the top,” Guleryuz told TRT World in an exclusive interview on the sidelines of TEKNOFEST 2025, the world’s largest aviation, space and technology festival, being held at Istanbul’s Ataturk Airport.
“We have the engineering capability, we have the technological potential, we know what we can do. But we will always try to aim to be the best, to create new technologies and to drive the defence technology all over the world,” he added.
Over the past decades, STM has emerged as one of Türkiye’s leading defence engineering and technology companies. Its achievements span building Türkiye’s first national frigate TCG Istanbul, its first diesel-electric attack submarine STM 500, and the indigenous KARGU loitering munition drones, to exporting the first warship to Europe and supplying intelligence software to NATO, earning the company recognition for numerous landmark accomplishments.
Youth at the centre of innovation
The World Drone Cup, organised by STM as part of TEKNOFEST, has drawn 32 pilots from 26 countries who are competing with drones they designed and assembled themselves. For Guleryuz, the event is as much about competition as it is about inspiring future generations.
“Since the beginning of TEKNOFEST, we have been organising the World Drone Cup. It's really critical for us because technology is very important for our future, and TEKNOFEST aims to trigger the interest in youth about new technologies,” he said.
With drones gaining prominence in both civilian and military life, Guleryuz said such competitions create a powerful learning ecosystem.
“Bringing 32 competitors from 26 countries and making them work in the same place, they make the drones by themselves and then they compete, so they learn from each other… Then, there’s a huge crowd watching what's going on. We really believe that it's very important to draw the attention of our youth to technologies like drones.”
STM also introduced interactive experiences at the festival — from FPV drone simulations to digital games — designed to attract young talent. “The young generation is much more interested in technologies like drones, cybersecurity and software, etc. We have introduced some interactive games so that they do something with the new technologies – they can learn from the process, and then they can use all this information in much bigger projects,” he explained.
STM’s national vision and global role
Founded in 1991, STM Defence Technologies Engineering and Trade Inc has become one of Türkiye’s leading defence companies, with projects ranging from MILGEM warships and submarines to tactical unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) like KARGU and TOGAN, as well as cybersecurity and software systems for NATO and Türkiye’s Armed Forces.
“STM is really an important engineering company in the defence sector. Our motivation is to develop highly advanced engineering technologies wherever it's needed,” Guleryuz said. “We are really trying to fill the gaps, especially the advanced technology gaps needed by our defence sector.”
While STM has exported corvettes, submarines, and UAVs to nearly 15 countries across three continents, Guleryuz emphasised that national needs remain the priority, “Our main and first priority is to solve the needs of the Turkish Armed Forces. Our national requirements are our first priority,” he said adding that STM also follows the Turkish government's policy “to share whatever we can do with our allies and friendly nations.”
Crucially, STM’s approach to exports is partnership-driven. “Our motivation is not to try to sell something but to be a partner, a long-term partner of those countries, and come up with indigenous solutions for their requirements,” he said.
Fast growth, future ambitions
Looking back at the past 2-3 decades, Guleryuz said Türkiye’s defence sector has developed at a striking pace. “We have progressed very, very fast. Some of our competitors in naval shipbuilding have been building ships for decades and even centuries. We started the race quite late, but now we are competing with them in many international projects,” he noted.
“Still, I believe that we are just in the beginning. We have huge potential, huge capacity, and with the support of our youth, I'm really optimistic about what the Turkish defence sector can do and achieve in the future,” he added.
And for STM, the path forward is clear: pushing boundaries rather than following them. “We trust in ourselves. With the engineering capability of STM, we will succeed and lead in the specific areas where we have expertise, shaping the future of defence technology,” Guleryuz said.
