Fikri Işık, Minister of Science, Industry and Technology, and İsmet Yılmaz, Minister of National Defence, laid the foundation of the 'National Energetic Materials Synthesis and Characterization Laboratory' established at TÜBİTAK Gebze Campus.
The groundbreaking ceremony of TÜBİTAK National Energetic Materials Synthesis and Characterization Laboratory, which will be established in TÜBİTAK Gebze Campus, was held with the participation of Fikri Işık, Minister of Science, Industry and Technology, and İsmet Yılmaz, Minister of National Defense. The ceremony was attended by Fikri Işık, Minister of Science, Industry and Technology, İsmet Yılmaz, Minister of National Defense, Prof. Dr. Yücel Altunbaşak, President of TÜBİTAK, Hasan Basri Güzeloğlu, Governor of Kocaeli, district governors, mayors, NGO representatives and many guests.
Speaking at the ceremony, TÜBİTAK President Prof. Dr. Yücel Altunbaşak said, "We want to make energetic materials in this laboratory where we can keep their stability, sensitivity and performance in full balance. I would like to open a parenthesis here and explain the meaning of the National Lab. Look, you cannot do this in a university laboratory in terms of security. Also, the financing needed to run this place is quite high, so that's what national labs are for. We are trying to attract national labs to TÜBİTAK's labs for things that are too expensive to be done in our universities or that are strategic or require security. Thanks to this lab, we will try to carry out all of these activities, including the combination, synthesis, characterization and process development of energetic materials in the best way under the best conditions in Turkey."
Governor of Kocaeli Hasan Basri Güzeloğlu stated that today's ceremony offers a very meaningful contribution and enrichment to the goals of Greater Turkey and 2023 and said, "We, as a great nation and a great state, are realizing a very important step and breakthrough today in the determination to take our achievements in every field to the better and further in the process that started with the republic."
Minister of National Defense İsmet Yılmaz said, "If you have a strong defense industry, if you train your armed forces well, then the bandits cannot attack you. Look, if the bandits beyond the borders cannot attack Turkey today, it is not the border line on the map that prevents them from attacking, it is Turkey's power." He expressed his gratitude to everyone who contributed to the facility reaching this stage.
Fikri Işık, Minister of Science, Industry and Technology, said: "At the point we have reached, we have to differentiate ourselves and shift gears. Even the facility we will lay the foundation of today is actually an example of where Turkey has come from. We normally do not have much time for groundbreaking ceremonies. It is not very common for two ministers to attend the groundbreaking ceremony of an investment with an investment cost of 7 million and a little more with other outbuildings. But if this investment is a good investment that will reduce Turkey's foreign dependence in defense, increase its own military capacity, and eliminate the risks and threats against Turkey, then two ministers will attend this groundbreaking ceremony."
Explaining that TÜBİTAK is Turkey's flagship in science and technology, Işık continued his words as follows "We have just received a very short briefing about TÜBİTAK's work in the defence industry together with our minister. We received a briefing based only on headings and objectives. Today, we, as TÜBİTAK, are implementing many projects that until yesterday we watched with envy. Turkey can only be at peace and secure in this region with one of the strongest defense industries in the world. When we bring this Energetic Materials Synthesis and Characterization Laboratory to our country, Turkey will become one of the world's leading countries, especially in the field of explosive materials. We will become one of the top 5-6 countries in the world."
Following the speeches, İsmet Yılmaz, Minister of National Defense, and Fikri Işık, Minister of Science, Industry and Technology, pressed the button together and laid the foundation of the Energetic Materials Synthesis and Characterization Laboratory.
