23.08.2026 19:41
Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz spoke at the closing of TEKNOFEST Blue Homeland. Yilmaz said, 'In a period where global balances are rapidly changing and instabilities are increasing, the security of the Blue Homeland has become more strategic than ever. We want to declare to everyone from here that we will protect our sovereignty and our rights in the Blue Homeland without hesitation and without compromise.'
Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz said, "In a period where global balances are rapidly changing and instabilities are increasing, our Blue Homeland security has become more strategic than ever."
VICE PRESIDENT YILMAZ'S "BLUE HOMELAND" STATEMENT
Yilmaz spoke at the closing of TEKNOFEST Blue Homeland, held at the Golcuk Shipyard Command, where Anadolu Agency (AA) is the Global Communication Partner and the Ministry of National Defense and the Turkey Technology Team Foundation (T3 Foundation) are the main organizers.
Stating that he greeted the participants with respect, love, and affection on behalf of himself and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Yilmaz expressed his pleasure at being at the closing of TEKNOFEST Blue Homeland 2026.
Yilmaz said it was an honor to be at this event where the centuries-old experience of Turkish maritime, which rose on the shoulders of heroes and heroic sailors who left their mark on countless successes from the Barbarossas, Piri Reises, and Chaka Beys to the Cyprus Peace Operation from Gallipoli, met with modern and national technologies, and where the labor and vision of young people were showcased.
"OUR BLUE HOMELAND SECURITY HAS BECOME MORE STRATEGIC THAN EVER"
Stating that they live in a difficult world and a difficult region, Yilmaz said, "We are faced with an order where the strong are considered right. But we, with the strength we derive from our civilization and the values of our nation, say that we will both be strong and be right. We will be on the side of justice and the oppressed. In a period where global balances are rapidly changing and instabilities are increasing, our Blue Homeland security has become more strategic than ever. In this period of intensifying geopolitical competition, critical technologies, energy resources, and trade routes have become the main elements of the global power struggle. We want to declare to everyone from here that we will protect our sovereignty and our rights in the Blue Homeland unhesitatingly and without compromise."
"SHOWING EVERYONE THE HIGH LEVEL TURKEY HAS REACHED AT SEA"
Yilmaz emphasized that every step they take in the defense industry contributes to national security and also provides great strength and support to independent foreign policy, economic, and social welfare.
Stating that in Golcuk, in the area of a 100-year-old shipyard, they all saw the nation's interest in the Blue Homeland, Yilmaz continued:
"37 ships and 4 aircraft met with our nation, and Turkey showed the whole world what it can achieve with its own power, its youth, and its engineers. The real gain here is the progress we have achieved in terms of platform diversity, technological depth, level of domestic production, and joint mission capability. Our giant manned platforms extending from TCG Anadolu to TCG Istanbul, from Murat Reis to TCG Derya; our unmanned maritime vehicles such as MARLIN, SANCAR, ULAQ, and SALVO show everyone the high level Turkey has reached at sea. This strong bond and integration increase our strategic power and depth."
Noting that behind the manned and unmanned maritime platforms meeting the nation today lies a strong cooperation spanning many years, Vice President Yilmaz said, "TEKNOFEST Blue Homeland, organized under the main leadership of our Ministry of National Defense and the Turkey Technology Team Foundation with the contribution of 17 stakeholders, is the product of this culture of joint work."
"OUR DOMESTIC PRODUCTION RATE, WHICH WAS AROUND 20 PERCENT, HAS EXCEEDED 80 PERCENT"
Pointing out that the point reached in the defense industry is not a random or spontaneous point, Yilmaz said, "Behind this lies the strong political will and determination of our President Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdogan and our country's long-standing political stability. Thanks to this, we are today the world's 11th largest exporter, and soon, God willing, we will enter the top 10. Thanks to this, our domestic production rate, which was around 20 percent, has exceeded 80 percent."
Explaining that they are developing an architecture where manned and unmanned elements operate securely on the same network, Yilmaz noted the following:
"TCG Anadolu's ability to operate together with Bayraktar TB3 is one of the most concrete examples of this new approach. In the coming period, we will take this integrated structure much further with artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, advanced sensors, and secure communication technologies. We implemented the first example of the integrated technology approach touching human life on TCG Anadolu within the scope of TEKNOFEST Blue Homeland. The remote robotic surgery application, where the surgical team on the ship received real-time support from a specialist physician on land via 5G, was another innovation of this TEKNOFEST. It was the first time in the world that such an operation took place on a ship. Therefore, with the development of this technology, our health heroes and healthcare professionals will have the opportunity to reach those in need in the most remote corners of the world with these technologies."
Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz stated that the permanence of this technological transformation depends on human resources.
Emphasizing that the source of all success factors is people, Yilmaz said, "A trained, equipped, innovative, entrepreneurial, and self-confident workforce is the foundation of all success. The Turkish Century will rise on the shoulders of these young people, the TEKNOFEST youth, who are self-confident, equipped, and devoted to their civilization, nation, and land."
Yilmaz said that the intense interest shown in 6 competitions, including unmanned underwater systems, unmanned maritime vehicles, and underwater rocket competitions, clearly demonstrates young people's orientation towards maritime and underwater technologies.
Expressing that they followed the knowledge, talent, and effort displayed by 112 teams reaching the final stage and over 1,200 competitors with great appreciation and joy, Yilmaz said, "The greatest strength of the TEKNOFEST generation is the desire for research, entrepreneurial spirit, courage, determination to produce, and self-confidence. Dear young people, you will carry Turkey's new ships, submarines, unmanned systems, and advanced technologies to much higher levels. We have no doubt that you will achieve great successes that will shape Turkey's future."
"WE WILL WALK CONFIDENTLY TOWARDS THE TURKISH CENTURY GOALS"
Yilmaz continued his speech as follows: "The story of Ozdemir Bayraktar, whom we remember with mercy, is a true source of inspiration for our new generations. Many Ozdemir Bayraktars and Selcuk Bayraktars will emerge from among you, and with determination and resolve, you will reach one by one the goals that were said to be unreachable, God willing."With this belief, we will continue to elevate the Century of Türkiye on the foundation of science, technology, qualified human resources, and high value-added production. Under the leadership of our President, we will confidently march toward the goal of a fully independent Türkiye and the targets of the Century of Türkiye by implementing our National Technology Initiative in an integrated manner with our National Competence Initiative. "
Expressing his gratitude to the Ministry of National Defense and the Turkish Technology Team Foundation, which undertook the main execution of TEKNOFEST Blue Homeland, Yılmaz made the following remarks:
"I especially extend my gratitude to Mr. Selçuk Bayraktar, who has played a major role in transforming TEKNOFEST into a global technology movement that brings together our young people's dreams with our national technology goals. I sincerely thank him and his colleagues. I thank our Ministry of Industry and Technology, our Minister, the Presidency of Defense Industries and its President, the Naval Forces Command and our Naval Forces Commander, our Gölcük Shipyard Command, and all our public institutions that contributed to the organization.
I sincerely thank our defense industry companies, military and private shipyards, universities, research institutions, jury members, advisors, and above all, our volunteers, and our entire nation who came here and made this beautiful festival, TEKNOFEST, meaningful. I wish TEKNOFEST Blue Homeland to be auspicious for our country, our nation, and our young people. See you in Şanlıurfa at the next organization. "